Brian McBride Bio Send To Friend  

McBride started out in Major League Soccer in the United States with the Columbus Crew after selection through the American draft system. And he soon became one of the most respected strikers in the MLS.

The player first came into English football in September 2000 when David Moyes signed him for Preston North End on loan for the remainder of the season. Moyes tried to sign the player permanently but his £1.75million bid was rejected and McBride returned to Ohio and Columbus Crew.

McBride also spent a year with VfL Wolfsburg in the German second division in 1994/95 before joining Columbus.

The player's career has regularly been hit by injury. He has suffered numerous concussions and broken cheekbones and was hampered by a recurring blood clot in his upper right arm that necessitated the removal of one rib and a regimen of blood-thinning medication along with nearly five months off the field in order to recover fully.

His four goals in the 2002 Gold Cup competition confirmed his position as the USA's leading striker and his stunning hat-trick in the quarter-final win against El Salvador was inspired.

McBride was one of the stars of the USA side that reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup before losing narrowly to Germany.

The player scored the winning goal in fine victories over Mexico and Portugal en route - making him the first American to score in two World Cup finals.

McBride can hold the ball under pressure and is adept at scoring with either foot while is superb ability in the air makes him a useful target man.

He returned to England in January 2003, when Moyes again signed him on loan, this time for Everton, with a view to a permanent deal.

He started off on fire, scoring three times in his first two games, but found himself down the pecking order when the club's other strikers came back to fitness. He eventually scored four goals in eight games.

A year later it was Blackburn who tried to sign the international. At first their approach was rebuffed, but at the second attempt they were allowed to speak to him.

But Fulham had got a sniff of the deal and, after selling Louis Saha to Manchester United, pipped Rovers to his signature at the end of January 2004.

He had an immediate impact, coming off the bench to score the winner in a 2-1 win at home to Tottenham Hotspur.

Coincidentally, it was against Spurs that McBride had scored on his Everton debut almost 12 months to the day.

McBride, a key player in the USA squad which reached the quarter-finals of the 2002 World Cup, scored four goals in 15 Premiership appearances for Fulham in 2003/04.

One of the most under-rated forwards in the Premiership, he impressed at Fulham with his aerial ability and uncompromising attitude. He scored 9 goals in 2004/05, before earning himself a first-team place in 2005/06, where he made 35 starts.

Ten goals in the Premiership that season was followed up by nine in 2006/07, where McBride established himself as an integral part of the Fulham side.

He was also an important part of the USA's World Cup campaign in 2006, although he failed to score in the competition.