2021: In 2021, Najar returned to the District for his second spell with the team after departing the club for RSC Anderlecht in Belgium in 2013. Since re-signing with the team on April 17, Najar has scored one goal and recorded three assists in 26 appearances (23 starts). The defender maintained a passing accuracy of 80%, completing 832 passes and 55 dribbles in 1,917 minutes played. Najar was named to the MLS Team of the Week in weeks 8, 11, 18, and 28.
2012: At 19-years-old, Najar completed his third professional season with the Black-and-Red and continued to show why he was chosen as the MLS Rookie of the Year at just 17 years of age in 2010. Appearing in 25 games (22 starts), Najar set up four goals, tied with Brandon McDonald for the most assists by a United defender in 2012. His conversion to right fullback midway through the season gave the Black-and-Red a tangible increase in offensive dynamism and overlapping attacking play. Head Coach Ben Olsen was so impressed with Najar’s positional switch that he declared Najar the “future right back of this team.”
2011: Following his 2010 MLS Rookie of the Year campaign, there was no sophomore slump for Najar in his second professional season. Equaling his MLS rookie scoring mark of five goals, Najar added a creative element to his game in 2011, providing six assists to United’s attack in 31 League matches (28 starts). The 18-year-old scored his first goal of the season at home on 6/11 in a 4-2 loss to San Jose. His most memorable strike came against Philadelphia on 7/2, as the young Honduran blasted a long-range effort from 35 yards to beat Union goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon. In United’s 4-1 thumping of Real Salt Lake on 9/24, Najar scored the opening goal of the contest thanks to a splitting through ball from Dwayne De Rosario in the 13th minute. Najar returned the favor nine minutes later, finding De Rosario with a looping cross to give the home side a 2-0 lead. The midfielder scored once more against Philadelphia in a 3-2 loss, this time at PPL Park on 9/29 following a cross-field jaunt on a 30th minute counterattack.
2010: D.C. United signed Youth Academy standout Andy Najar to a Generation adidas contract on 3/22 with the first team. The 17-year-old midfielder was the second player to sign with the senior squad directly from United’s Academy, joining goalkeeper Bill Hamid. Najar went on to be United’s most influential player in 2010, racking up a team-high seven goals in all competitions along with two assists. Starting the first match of the 2010 season in Kansas City on 3/27, Najar became the ninth youngest player to start an MLS match, and the tenth youngest player to feature in the League. His movement on and off the ball kept opposing defenses off balance, and his knack for scoring timely goals is uncanny. Najar scored his first career goal on 4/28 against FC Dallas in a U.S. Open qualifier, while his first League strike came against Chivas USA on 5/29. Both goals were crucial in hard-fought United victories. In MLS, the gifted midfielder played in 26 of 30 possible matches, starting 22 contests. For his outstanding play he was named 2010 MLS Rookie of the Year, while also claiming multiple club honors. Among the winger’s accolades were the 2010 D.C. United Volkswagen MVP, Volkswagen’s Fans Choice Award and United’s 2010 Golden Boot. Najar, a native of Honduras, is a Green Card holder and is classified as a domestic player on United’s roster.
2011: Najar received his long-awaited call-up to the Honduran National Team in September ahead of international friendlies with Colombia and Paraguay. Najar made his Honduran debut at Red Bull Arena on 9/3 as a second half substitute in a 2-0 loss to Colombia. On 9/6 the midfielder returned to home soil, making his first international start in San Pedro Sula against Paraguay, a 3-0 loss for the Hondurans.
2011: Following the conclusion of the MLS regular season, Najar trained with Barclays Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for two weeks in North London.
2009: Played right back with United’s U-16 team and tallied four goals before moving up to the U-18 side and scoring nine goals as a forward.
2009: United States Soccer Federation Development Academy Starting XI
2009: Leading scorer in the U.S. Developmental Academy Finals in Los Angeles
2009: Washington Post All-Met First Team selection at Edison High School in Alexandria after a stellar sophomore season that saw him notch a school-high 22 goals.
MLS Rookie of the Year: 2010
D.C. United Volkswagen Most Valuable Player: 2010
Volkswagen Fans’ Choice Award: 2010
Volkswagen Goal of the Year: 2010
Signed a Generation adidas contract on March 22, 2010, becoming the second D.C. United Academy player to sign with the first team.
