Atiba Harris

PROFILE
A member of the 2010 MLS Cup finalists FC Dallas, Atiba Harris joined Whitecaps FC after being selected in the second round (fourth overall) of the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft. A Saint Kitts and Nevis international that enjoyed spells in England and Spain, the tall midfielder/striker has had previous Major League Soccer spells with Real Salt Lake and Chivas USA.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER
2012: After overcoming a long-term knee injury, the striker made his first MLS appearance in nearly a year when he started in Whitecaps FC’s 0-0 draw at Philadelphia Union on Mar. 31. Harris then scored his first goal of the season in the first leg of Whitecaps FC’s Amway Canadian Championship semifinal, as Vancouver won 2-0 at North American Soccer League side FC Edmonton on May 2. 2011: Though a knee injury restricted Harris to just five starts for Whitecaps FC that year, his attacking production in the early stages of Vancouver’s inaugural MLS campaign was impressive, as he was one of five ‘Caps players to score two or more goals that season. His debut for Whitecaps FC was a highly influential performance, as he had a goal and two assists in Vancouver's inaugural MLS match, as Whitecaps FC defeated Canadian rivals Toronto FC 4-2 at Empire Field on Mar. 19. Harris then played his part in Vancouver's dramatic 3-3 home draw with Sporting Kansas City on Apr. 2. The striker scored Whitecaps FC's first goal in the match at Empire Field before assisting on Camilo's very late equalizer. Though a knee injury ended his season in late April, Harris signed a contract extension with Whitecaps FC on Nov. 4. 2010: Harris played a key role in leading FC Dallas to the MLS Cup final that season, with the midfielder/striker starting all but one of his 29 regular season appearances. His four goals came against Texas rivals Houston Dynamo (Mar. 27), New England Revolution (May 1), Real Salt Lake (July 17), and in the regular season finale at Los Angeles Galaxy (Oct. 24). Harris also started the qualification semifinal defeat at D.C. United in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on Apr. 28. In the MLS Cup Playoffs, Harris appeared in the first leg of the Western Conference Semifinals on Oct. 30, as FC Dallas won 2-1 at home to Real Salt Lake. He then started the 3-0 victory at MLS Supporters' Shield winners Los Angeles Galaxy in the Western Conference Final on Nov. 14 before starting the MLS Cup final versus Eastern Conference champions Colorado Rapids at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario, on Nov. 21. FC Dallas fell 2-1 to Colorado in extra time. On Nov. 24, Whitecaps FC acquired the midfielder/striker during the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft. 2009: Harris scored twice during his second season with Chivas USA, with both goals coming in a 2-1 home win over Columbus Crew on Apr. 5 and in a 2-0 victory at home to FC Dallas on Apr. 25. He also scored the equalizer in a 1-1 home draw versus Mexico's San Luis in Group A of the North American SuperLiga on June 27 before appearing in the club's third-round US Open Cup defeat at former USL-1 club Charleston Battery on June 30. On July 19, the midfielder/striker was traded to FC Dallas in exchange for midfielder Marcelo Saragosa. Harris started all 12 of his regular season appearances for the Texas outfit, with his first FC Dallas goal coming in a remarkable 6-3 victory at Los Angeles Galaxy on Sept. 12, where he also recorded two assists in the match. He also struck in the regular season finale on Oct. 24, as FC Dallas fell 2-1 at Seattle Sounders FC. 2008: In Dec. 2007, Real Salt Lake traded Harris to Chivas USA for a third-round pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft. His first season with Southern California outfit saw him feature regularly, both in midfield and as a striker. In 28 regular season appearances, Harris scored goals against former club Real Salt Lake (Apr. 5), SuperClasico rivals Los Angeles Galaxy (Aug. 14), and Toronto FC (Aug. 30). In the MLS Cup Playoffs, the midfielder/striker appeared in the first-leg defeat at RSL in the Western Conference Semifinals on Nov. 1. Harris also started Chivas USA's third-round defeat at United Soccer Leagues First Division (USL-1) side Seattle Sounders in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup on July 1, as well as all three matches in Group B of the North American SuperLiga that summer. Harris also started both legs of the Preliminary Round series versus Panama's Tauro FC in the inaugural edition (2008-09) of the CONCACAF Champions League, with Chivas USA falling 3-1 on aggregate. 2007: His second season with RSL proved more of a challenge, as Harris recorded just one assist in 21 appearances, with the Utah club missing out on the MLS Cup Playoffs for a third-straight season. Harris also started one of RSL's qualification matches in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup that year. 2006: Harris became the first player from Saint Kitts and Nevis to sign for MLS when he joined Real Salt Lake for the 2006 season. Harris scored four goals and added one assist in 22 regular season appearances for the Utah-based club. He also made a substitute appearance for RSL in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup that season.

MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER RESERVE LEAGUE
2012: Making his MLS Reserve League debut, Harris had a goal and an assist during Whitecaps FC reserves’ 2-1 victory at San Jose Earthquakes reserves on Apr. 8. He then scored in a 2-1 home defeat to San Jose Earthquakes reserves on Sept. 10.

SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS PREMIER LEAGUE
After spells in England and Spain, Harris spent portions of the 2004-05 and 2005-06 Saint Kitts and Nevis Premier League seasons with St. Peters FC in his hometown of Basseterre.

SPAIN
2003-04: Following his time in England with Newcastle United FC, Harris moved to the Spanish Segunda División (Second Division) when he joined Cádiz Club de Fútbol. It was during that season with Cádiz CF that the midfielder/striker spent time on loan at Club Deportivo Linares, who were in Spain's third-tier Segunda División B.

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE
At the age of 17, Harris joined Newcastle United FC as a youth trainee in 2002. The midfielder/striker remained with the English Premier League side before moving to Spain with Cádiz Club de Fútbol.

INTERNATIONAL
Harris has represented his native Saint Kitts and Nevis at youth and senior international level. The midfielder/striker represented his country at the U-13, U-15, U-17, U-20, and U-23 Olympic levels. Senior: As a 15-year-old, Harris made his senior international debut for Saint Kitts and Nevis in 2000. With seven goals in 22 appearances for the Caribbean nation, Harris played in the semifinal round of CONCACAF qualifying for the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, as The Sugar Boyz finished bottom of Group Three. On Feb. 6, 2008, the midfielder/striker appeared for Saint Kitts and Nevis in the first leg of their Stage One qualifying playoff versus Belize in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Belize won the two-leg playoff 4-2 on aggregate and advanced to the next stage of qualifying for the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. In Oct. 2012, Harris started all three matches for Saint Kitts and Nevis during his country’s hosting of first-round Group 5 in the 2012 Caribbean Cup. This included a meeting with Whitecaps FC teammate Carlyle Mitchell and his native Trinidad & Tobago on Oct. 12, 2012. Though Harris scored in the 2-0 win over Anguilla on Oct. 10, 2012, Saint Kitts and Nevis missed out on the second round of the 2012 Caribbean Cup after home defeats to Trinidad & Tobago and French Guiana.

PERSONAL
Hailing from Basseterre on the island of St. Kitts, Harris is one of four children to be raised in the capital of Saint Kitts and Nevis. Now a resident of Los Angeles, California, the midfielder/striker has a wife named Rachael and a daughter named Laila.

INTERESTING FACTS
Harris has a cousin in Manchester City and England defender Micah Richards. An avid music listener, the midfielder/striker's favourite music genres are hip hop, reggae, and rhythm & blues. He is a fan of English Premier League giants Chelsea FC. Harris' favourite soccer memory was debuting for his town's U-18 team as a 12-year-old and scoring two goals.