Sébastien Le Toux Explained

Sébastien Le Toux
Birth Date:1984 1, df=yes
Birth Place:Mont-Saint-Aignan, France
Height:6ft 0in
Position:Forward, winger
Youthyears1:2001–2004
Youthclubs1:Rennes
Years1:2004–2006
Clubs1:Lorient
Caps1:15
Goals1:1
Years2:2007–2008
Clubs2:Seattle Sounders
Caps2:47
Goals2:24
Years3:2009
Clubs3:Seattle Sounders FC
Caps3:28
Goals3:1
Years4:2010–2011
Clubs4:Philadelphia Union
Caps4:62
Goals4:25
Years5:2012
Clubs5:Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Caps5:19
Goals5:4
Years6:2012
Clubs6:New York Red Bulls
Caps6:14
Goals6:1
Years7:2013–2016
Clubs7:Philadelphia Union
Caps7:113
Goals7:25
Years8:2016
Clubs8:Colorado Rapids
Caps8:11
Goals8:1
Years9:2017
Clubs9:D.C. United
Caps9:16
Goals9:2
Totalcaps:325
Totalgoals:84
Club-Update:17:45, 17 August 2017 (UTC)

Sébastien Le Toux (in French pronounced as /sebastjɛ̃ lə tu/; born 10 January 1984) is a French retired professional footballer who spent the majority of his career in Major League Soccer, including six seasons at the Philadelphia Union.

A versatile attacker, who in 2010 became Philadelphia's first All-Star representative, was widely regarded as one of the hardest workers in the league, winning the MLS Individual Fair Play Award in both 2010 and 2011. Le Toux racked up over 263 career MLS appearances with 59 goals and 57 assists in nine years.[1]

Playing career

Club

Le Toux was part of the youth setup at Rennes, and briefly played for Lorient in Ligue 2, prior to moving to the United States.

Seattle Sounders FC

Le Toux unsuccessfully tried out for MLS side FC Dallas, before eventually signing with the Seattle Sounders of the USL First Division in early 2007. Le Toux netted 10 goals for the Sounders in 2007, tying him with Charles Gbeke of the Montreal Impact as the division's top goal-scorer; he went on to score 24 goals in 54 league appearances for the team. On 28 September 2007, Le Toux became Seattle's fourth USL First Division Most Valuable Player.[2]

On 8 May 2008, Le Toux was the first player signed by the Seattle Sounders FC following their expansion into Major League Soccer.[3] [4]

He scored the first goal in a 1–1 draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy, but saw more success in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on the run to the 2009 Open Cup Final and had an assist on the winning goal to Roger Levesque in the 2–1 victory at RFK Stadium against D.C. United.

Philadelphia Union

Le Toux was not among Seattle's protected 11 players for the 2009 MLS Expansion Draft and was selected by Philadelphia Union.[5] [6] He scored a hat trick in the Philadelphia Union's first official home match in Major League Soccer as the Union defeated D.C. United 3–2.[7] He scored his 10th goal of the season in the 33rd minute for the Union, taking a pass from rookie Danny Mwanga and sending a clean shot past Wizards goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen.[8] [9] Le Toux scored on a penalty deep into stoppage time to give the Philadelphia Union a 2–1 win over Toronto FC. He scored once again against his former club Seattle Sounders, trailing 1–0 entering the second half, Le Toux got the equalizer on a penalty kick in the 54th minute.[10] He finished the 2010 MLS season with 14 league goals. On 8 June, Le Toux was named a nominee for the Major League Soccer All-Star Game.[11]

On 18 January 2012, he wrote "on a jet plane to England"[12] the day after Bolton Wanderers manager Owen Coyle confirmed that the striker was having a trial with the Premier League side.[13] The trial, however, did not lead to a contract offer.

Vancouver Whitecaps FC

On 31 January 2012, Philadelphia traded Le Toux to Vancouver Whitecaps FC for allocation money.[14] Le Toux scored four minutes into his MLS debut for the Whitecaps on 10 March, a 2–0 home victory over new side Montreal Impact.[15]

New York Red Bulls

Le Toux was traded to New York Red Bulls on 13 July 2012 in exchange for Dane Richards and allocation money.[16] He scored 24 minutes into his first game with the Red Bulls vs. Seattle Sounders on 15 July 2012 in a match that ended in a 2–2 draw. In his second game, the 1–0 home win against Chicago Fire, Le Toux got the assist for a goal from Thierry Henry with a cross-field ball to the striker.

Return to Philadelphia

On 6 December 2012 Le Toux was traded back to Philadelphia Union in a sign-and-trade from New York Red Bulls. Philadelphia sent allocation money along with Josué Martínez to New York.[17] He scored in the 17th minute of his debut back with the Philadelphia Union and the 2013 Major League Soccer season opener, doing so two years in a row.[18]

Colorado Rapids

On 3 August 2016, Le Toux was traded to the Colorado Rapids in exchange for General Allocation Money.[19]

D.C. United

On 24 January 2017, Le Toux was signed to D.C. United as a free agent.[20] He scored his first goal for DC against the New England Revolution on 22 April 2017. In the next game, he would score his second and last goal for DC against Atlanta United FC on 30 April 2017. Le Toux and United mutually agreed to terminate his contract on 17 August 2017.[21]

Retirement

In May 2018, Le Toux announced his retirement from professional soccer. Making a name for himself as a top player for the Philadelphia Union, Le Toux signed a ceremonial one-day contract to retire as a Philadelphia player.[22] His retirement ceremony was held on 23 June 2018 during a home match against Vancouver Whitecaps FC, where he was the first inductee into the Union's Ring of Honor.[22] [23]

Post playing career

After his retirement from professional soccer, Le Toux founded Le Toux Soccer Development in 2018, a private soccer coaching service he owns and operates.[24] [25]

During the 2019 season, Le Toux made his broadcast debut providing pregame, halftime, and postgame commentary during Philadelphia Union matches.[26]

Currently, Le Toux is the Head Coach for the Shipley School Girls' Varsity Soccer team.[27]

Personal

Le Toux was born and raised in Rennes, France. He has two brothers and one sister.

He married Brittany Wollner on October 6, 2023

On 5 August 2010, it was announced that Le Toux has received a United States green card, making him a permanent resident of the country and qualifying him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.[28]

Career statistics

Club performanceLeagueCupLeague CupTotal
Club Season LeagueApps GoalsApps GoalsApps GoalsApps Goals
FC Lorient2004–05Ligue 21200010130
2005–06Ligue 231300061
Total1513010191
Seattle Sounders2007USL First Division241055503415
2008USL First Division231455203019
Total47241010706434
Seattle Sounders FC2009Major League Soccer2814120342
Philadelphia Union2010Major League Soccer281400002814
2011Major League Soccer341100213612
Total622500216426
Vancouver Whitecaps FC2012Major League Soccer1942200216
New York Red Bulls2012Major League Soccer1411000151
Philadelphia Union2013Major League Soccer3232000343
2014Major League Soccer291253003415
2015Major League Soccer31852003610
2016Major League Soccer2123000242
Total113251550012830
Colorado Rapids2016Major League Soccer1410000141
D.C. United2017Major League Soccer82000000
Career total327833818131365101
Source: Soccerway Stats

Honors

Club

Stade Rennes Youth

2002–03

Seattle Sounders (USL)

Seattle Sounders FC

2009

Individual

2010, 2011

2010

Ring of Honor 2018[22]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Sebastien Le Toux | MLSsoccer.com. mlssoccer. 22 December 2021.
  2. News: Final USL-1 Awards announced: Q & A Session with goalkeepers McIntosh & Eylander . 28 September 2007 . United Soccer Leagues . usl1.uslsoccer.com . 5 June 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110717175738/http://usl1.uslsoccer.com/recentnews/207628.html . 17 July 2011 . dmy-all .
  3. News: Sounders FC signs first player . Seattle Times . 8 May 2008 . 8 May 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090617073415/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2004399951_apsocsoundersfirstsigning.html . 17 June 2009 .
  4. Web site: MLS Salaries . MLS Players Union . 11 June 2008.
  5. News: The Protected 11 from Sounders FC . The Seattle Times . Jose . Romero . 23 November 2009.
  6. http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20091125&content_id=7718268&vkey=pr_mls&fext=.jsp Union select 10 players in expansion draft
  7. Web site: VIDEO: Le Toux Nets Hat Trick In Home Debut of the Union . The Offside . 10 April 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20100607043251/http://www.theoffside.com/leagues/video-le-toux-nets-hat-trick-in-home-debut-of-the-union.html . 7 June 2010 .
  8. News: Major League Soccer . CNN . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111005172904/http://sports.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mls/recap.asp?g=2010090429 . 5 October 2011 .
  9. News: Revs Rally For Philly Draw. 1 August 2010. https://web.archive.org/web/20100803062955/http://soccer365.com/us_news/story_1810183427.php. 3 August 2010. soccer365.com. 365 Corporation. dead.
  10. News: MLS: Philadelphia 3, Seattle 1 . United Press International. upi.com . 27 June 2010 . 6 April 2012.
  11. Web site: 2011 . Philadelphia Union . 6 April 2012 . 2 April 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20190402112213/https://www.philadelphiaunion.com/news/2011/06/fan-ballot-launched-att-mls-all-star-game-0 . dead .
  12. Sébastien Le Toux . SebastienLeToux. 159442289972883456 . 17 January 2012 . On a jet plane to England. . 18 January 2012 .
  13. News: Coyle confirms Le Toux arrival . Sky Sports . British Sky Broadcasting . 19 January 2012 . 19 January 2012.
  14. News: Union trade Le Toux to Whitecaps FC . Philadelphia Union . philadelphiaunion.com . 31 January 2012 . 6 April 2012 . 3 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120203035327/http://www.philadelphiaunion.com/news/2012/01/union-trade-le-toux-whitecaps-fc . dead .
  15. News: Report: Vancouver Whitecaps v Montreal Impact - Major League Soccer . https://archive.today/20120715133654/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/report/_/id/336077?cc=5901 . dead . 15 July 2012 . ESPN Soccernet . . 10 March 2012 . 6 April 2012.
  16. Web site: 'Caps acquire Jamaican international Richards and allocation money from Red Bulls for Le Toux . Vancouver Whitecaps FC . whitecapsfc.com . 14 July 2012.
  17. Web site: Union reacquires forward Sebastien Le Toux . Philadelphia Union . 6 December 2012.
  18. Web site: MLS Match Recap: Philadelphia Union 1, Sporting Kansas City 3 . Dave Zeitlin . MLSsoccer.com . 2 March 2013 . 9 October 2020.
  19. Web site: Colorado Rapids acquire Sebastien Le Toux, trade Luis Solignac to Chicago. MLSsoccer.com. 3 August 2016. 4 February 2017.
  20. Web site: United sign MLS veteran Sébastien Le Toux. D.C. United. 24 January 2017. 4 February 2017.
  21. Web site: United and Sébastien Le Toux mutually terminate contract. 17 August 2017. 17 August 2017.
  22. Web site: Sebastien Le Toux to retire with Philadelphia Union, join new Ring of Honor . MLSsoccer.com . Charles Boehm . 7 May 2018 . 9 October 2020.
  23. Web site: Sebastien Le Toux Immoralized Union Ring of Honor . nbsports.com . Ryan Bright . 23 June 2018 . 9 October 2020.
  24. Web site: Le Toux Soccer Development . 9 October 2020.
  25. Web site: 'My heart is here,' Sébastien Le Toux says of retirement with the Union . Jonathan Tannenwald . The Philadelphia Inquirer . 8 May 2018 . 9 October 2020.
  26. Web site: Union legend Sebastian Le Toux to make his broadcast debut this weekend . Pete Schlenker . Brotherly Game . 27 March 2019 . 9 October 2020.
  27. Web site: Team Detail - US Shipley School . 2022-08-24 . www.shipleyschool.org.
  28. Web site: Le Toux Receives Green Card . Philadelphia Union . 23 August 2010.
  29. Web site: Columbus Crew SC's Federico Higuain joins MLS 50-50 club | MLSSoccer.com. mlssoccer.