by SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced that the club has signed forward Chris Wondolowski (Kiowa Tribe) to a new contract. Wondolowski scored 15 goals in 2019 to break Major League Soccer’s all-time scoring record.
“I’m very excited to be back for one more year,” said Wondolowski. “Knowing how much fun it is in the locker room, the team unity that we have and where this team is going, I wanted to be a part of it. I love this game. I love going out to practice. We’re a family. Even right now, it’s nice to have a couple days off, but I’m ready to get started again. When I do decide to step away from the game, my goal is to remain a part of the Earthquakes organization and help the team any way I can.”
Wondolowski, 36, owns nearly every scoring record in Major League Soccer, including most career goals (159), goals for one club (155), game-winning goals (44) and consecutive seasons with 10+ goals (10).
| MOST CAREER GOALS, MLS HISTORY | ||
| Goals | Player | Seasons |
| 159 | Chris Wondolowski | 2005-2019 |
| 145 | Landon Donovan | 2001-2016 |
| 134 | Jeff Cunningham | 1998-2011 |
| 133 | Jaime Moreno | 1996-2010 |
| 126 | Kei Kamara | 2006-2019 |
In 2019, Wondolowski scored a team-best 15 goals, his most in a single season since 2015 and second most since 2012. His 15 goals ranked tied for fifth most in MLS and were the most by an American-born player in 2019.
| MLS GOALS BY AN AMERICAN-BORN PLAYER, LAST FIVE SEASONS | |||
| Goals | Player | Team | Season |
| 19 | Gyasi Zardes | Columbus Crew SC | 2018 |
| 16 | Chris Wondolowski | San Jose Earthquakes | 2015 |
| 16 | CJ Sapong | Chicago Fire | 2017 |
| 15 | Chris Wondolowski | San Jose Earthquakes | 2019 |
| 15 | Jozy Altidore | Toronto FC | 2017 |
Wondolowski was selected by the Earthquakes in the fourth round of the 2005 Supplemental Draft, the 89th of 96 collegiate players drafted that year. After leading the Earthquakes’ Reserve League side in scoring during his rookie season, he moved to Houston as part of the team’s relocation in 2006, helping the Dynamo win MLS Cup championships in 2006 and 2007.
“It’s impossible to fully explain all the ways Chris is devoted to this club,” said Earthquakes general manager Jesse Fioranelli. “He truly embraces a bigger cause, well beyond the goals he scores and the records he breaks. Wondo has an unparalleled love for the game and the Quakes organization as a whole and this is a great day for our fans and our club.”
The native of Danville, Calif. returned to San Jose in 2009 as part of a player swap for Cam Weaver, widely considered one of the most successful trades in league history. He claimed his place in the Quakes’ starting lineup after scoring in each of his first four appearances in 2010, ultimately winning the MLS Golden Boot Award with 18 goals.
| MOST CONSECUTIVE SEASONS WITH 10+ GOALS, MLS HISTORY | ||
| Goals | Player | Seasons |
| 10 | Chris Wondolowski | 2010-2019* |
| 5 | Kei Kamara | 2015-2019* |
| 5 | Robbie Keane | 2012-2016 |
| 5 | Carlos Ruiz | 2002-2006 |
| 5 | Bradley Wright-Phillips | 2014-2018 |
| *Active streak |
His successful first season as a starter led him to make his U.S. National Team debut in a friendly against Chile in January of 2011. He would go on to make the final roster for the 2011 Concacaf Gold Cup, where he would make three appearances.
In 2012, Wondolowski experienced the best year of his career, tying the then league record with 27 goals, helping San Jose win the coveted Supporters’ Shield with a 19-6-9 record, and claiming the MLS MVP Award in the process. He became just the seventh American-born player to win the award in the league’s then 17-year history.
| MOST GOALS IN A SINGLE SEASON, MLS HISTORY | |||
| Goals | Player | Team | Season |
| 34 | Carlos Vela | Los Angeles FC | 2019 |
| 31 | Josef Martinez | Atlanta United FC | 2018 |
| 30 | Zlatan Ibrahimovic | LA Galaxy | 2019 |
| 27 | Chris Wondolowski | San Jose Earthquakes | 2012 |
| 27 | Roy Lassiter | Tampa Bay Mutiny | 1996 |
| 27 | Bradley Wright-Phillips | New York Red Bulls | 2014 |
| 27 | Josef Martinez | Atlanta United FC | 2019 |
Wondolowski’s club success continued to garner international call-ups. He co-won the 2013 Concacaf Gold Cup Golden Boot with five goals and made two appearances at the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He has scored a total of 11 goals in 35 international appearances for the USMNT.
Wondolowski has been named the Earthquakes’ MVP or Offensive Player of the Year in seven of the last 10 seasons, finishing as the club’s leading scorer every year but 2018. He currently ranks first in Quakes history in appearances (322), starts (291), minutes played (26,299) and goals scored (155).
