Robert Isaac Oleen Russell (born July 16, 1979) is a former

Ghanaian American Ghanaian Americans are an ethnic group of Americans of full or partial Ghanaian ancestry or Ghanaian immigrants who became naturalized citizen of the United States. History Early history The first people to arrive from the region then known a ...

soccer Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 Football player, players who almost exclusively use their feet to propel a Ball (association football), ball around a rectangular f ...

player.

Career

College

Russell was born in

Accra Accra (; or ''Gaga''; ; Ewe: Gɛ; ) is the capital and largest city of Ghana, located on the southern coast at the Gulf of Guinea, which is part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of 2021 census, the Accra Metropolitan District, , had a population of ...

, Ghana, but grew up in

Amherst, Massachusetts Amherst () is a city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Connecticut River valley. Amherst has a council–manager form of government, and is considered a city under Massachusetts state law. Amherst is one of several Massach ...

, and played

college soccer College soccer, called college football in some countries, is played by teams composed of soccer players who are enrolled in colleges and universities. While it is most widespread in the United States, it is also prominent in Japan, South Kore ...

Duke University Duke University is a Private university, private research university in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present-day city of Trinity, North Carolina, Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1 ...

from 1997 to 2000 and decided he would play internationally in Iceland.

Professional

Russell turned professional in 2001 and spent one season at Icelandic club Breiðablik. He was drafted by the

Los Angeles Galaxy The Los Angeles Galaxy are an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Greater Los Angeles area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. The Gal ...

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a professional Association football, soccer league in North America and the highest level of the United States soccer league system. It comprises 30 teams, with 27 in the United States and 3 in Canada, and is sanc ...

but opted to try his fortunes overseas. Russell joined

Sogndal Sogndal is a List of municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland Counties of Norway, county, Norway. It is located on the northern shore of the Sognefjorden in the Districts of Norway, traditional district of Sogn. The village of Hermansv ...

of the

Norwegian Premier League Eliteserien () is a professional association football league in Norway and the highest level of the Norwegian football league system. Contested by 16 clubs, it operates on a system of promotion and relegation with the Norwegian First Division ...

, where he established himself as one of the best right backs in Norway. This fact was confirmed when

Rosenborg BK Rosenborg Ballklub, commonly referred to simply as Rosenborg () or RBK, is a Norwegian professional association football, football club from Trondheim that plays in Eliteserien (football), Eliteserien. The club has won a record 26 league titles ...

also from Norway made a move for him in 2004. Russell became a starter at right back in his first season with

(including two starts for the team in the

UEFA Champions League The UEFA Champions League (UCL) is an annual club association football competition organised by the UEFA, Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) that is contested by List of top-division football clubs in UEFA countries, top-divisio ...

) and helped the team win its 19th league title. Unfortunately he only played in a couple of matches in 2005 due to a knee injury and a change in the coaching staff. In July 2006, Russell moved to

Viborg FF Viborg Fodsports Forening (), also known as Viborg FF or VFF for short, is a Danish professional association football, football club based in the Central Denmark Region, Central Jutland city of Viborg, Denmark, Viborg. They compete in the Danish ...

of the

Danish Superliga The Danish Superliga (, ) is a professional association football league in Denmark and the highest level of the Danish football league system. The league is currently contested by 12 teams each year, with 2 teams relegated. It is the current ...

. His debut for

came in a 3–1 loss at

Aalborg BK Aalborg Boldspilklub is a Danish sports club based in the city of Aalborg. The club is also known as AaB for short (cf. logo) or Aalborg BK. Through time the club has had branches in cricket, tennis, ice hockey, handball, and basketball, but curr ...

. In July 2008, Russell ended his Scandinavian sojourn by signing with

Real Salt Lake Real Salt Lake (RSL) is an American professional Association football, soccer club based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference (MLS), Western Conference. Fou ...

, where coach

Jason Kreis Jason Clarence Kreis (born December 29, 1972) is an American soccer coach and former player who is the director of operations and special projects for Major League Soccer side Real Salt Lake and the former head coach of the United States unde ...

was a fellow alumnus of Duke University. On November 23, 2009, Russell scored the game-winning goal of the 2009 MLS Cup in the seventh round of a penalty kick shoot out. The goal gave Real Salt Lake their first MLS championship. On May 29, 2010, he scored his first career goal for Real Salt Lake in a 4–1 victory over the

Kansas City Wizards Sporting Kansas City is an American professional soccer club based in the Kansas City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. The administrative offices are located in downtown K ...

Rio Tinto Stadium America First Field (formerly Rio Tinto Stadium and referred to as The RioT) is a soccer-specific stadium in Sandy, Utah, United States. It is the home of Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer (MLS) and the Utah Royals of the National Women' ...

. On November 29, 2011, Russell was traded to D.C. United for a third-round pick in the

2013 MLS SuperDraft The 2013 MLS SuperDraft was the fourteenth SuperDraft presented by Major League Soccer. The draft took place on January 17, 2013 in Indianapolis, Indiana at the Indiana Convention Center. The Colorado Rapids enjoyed returns from the 2013 draf ...

, which became a first-round pick in the 2013 MLS Supplemental Draft when the SuperDraft was shortened. Russell announced his retirement from professional soccer on May 15, 2013. He began classes in June 2013 in

Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private university, private Jesuit research university in Washington, D.C., United States. Founded by Bishop John Carroll (archbishop of Baltimore), John Carroll in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic higher education, Ca ...

's Post-baccalaureate Pre-Medical Certificate Program.

International

Although Russell never earned a cap for the

United States national team The United States national team or Team USA may refer to any of a number of sports team representing the United States in international competitions. Olympic teams Additionally, these teams may compete in other international competitions such as ...

, he was called into national team camps as an option for the United States right back position.

Medical career

Robert Russell enrolled in George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences. He is currently an Emergency Medicine resident at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Honors

Real Salt Lake *

MLS Cup:

2009 2009 was designated as the International Year of Astronomy by the United Nations to coincide with the 400th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's first known astronomical studies with a telescope and the publication of Astronomia Nova by Joha ...

Eastern Conference Championship:

Rosenborg *

: Norwegian Premier League 2004

References

''This article incorporates public domain text from the Voice of America.''

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Robbie 1979 births Living people American men's soccer players American expatriate men's soccer players American sportspeople of Ghanaian descent Duke Blue Devils men's soccer players Breiðablik men's football players Sogndal Fotball players Rosenborg BK players Viborg FF players Real Salt Lake players D.C. United players Eliteserien players American expatriate sportspeople in Iceland Expatriate men's footballers in Iceland American expatriate sportspeople in Norway Expatriate men's footballers in Norway American expatriate sportspeople in Denmark Expatriate men's footballers in Denmark Danish Superliga players Major League Soccer players LA Galaxy draft picks Articles containing video clips Men's association football defenders