Player Details

Name

Jalil Anibaba

Height

6' 0"

Weight

185 lbs

Date of Birth

10.19.1988 (36)

Birthplace

Fontana, CA

Position

Defender
Career Summary
  • Tied for MLS lead with 34 starts and 3,060 minutes played in 2013
  • Three-year defender with 96 appearances (93 starts).

MLS Experience

2013: Started all 34 regular season matches. Set career highs with 34 appearances, 3,060 minutes and three assists. Tied for team and league lead in games played and minutes played. Scored one goal vs. Dallas (10/12).

2012: Appeared in 33 matches, starting 32. Scored one goal and added one assist. Started and played 75 minutes of the Fire’s 2-1 loss to Houston in the Eastern Conference Knockout Match (10/31) of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Played entire match of team’s 3-2 overtime loss in the U.S. Open Cup. Appeared in friendlies against Aston Villa (7/21) and Santos Laguna (9/8).

2011: Appeared in 29 matches, starting 27  and logged 2,500 minutes, ranking second among Fire defenders behind only Gonzalo Segares. Split time between right back and center back. Tallied his first career assist on Dominic Oduro’s 89th minute strike in a 2-1 loss vs. LA (4/17). Became just the fourth Fire rookie and first defender all-time to tally a brace, scoring two first-half headers in a 3-2 victory vs. CLB (10/22). Joined goalkeeper Sean Johnson as the only two players to appear in all six qualifying and tournament matches of the U.S. Open Cup, logging 385 minutes. Scored from 40 yards out in USOC matches vs. Colorado (3/30), voted the club’s 2011 Goal of the Year by Fire supporters. Started both friendlies against Manchester United (7/23) and Chivas de Guadalajara (9/14).

College

2010: Transferred to the University of North Carolina for his senior season, appearing in 24 matches while helping the Tar Heels to their third straight NCAA College Cup appearance. Capped his college career by earning NSCAA Second Team All-American honors.

2009:  Appeared in 20 games, tallying two assists during his final season at Santa Clara. Team captain, earning All-WCC honors for the third consecutive season. All-WCC First Team pick for the second time. NSCAA All-West Region team.

2008: Appeared in 19 matches, tallying 2 goals and 2 assists for the Broncos. Led the team with 34 shots and recorded six points on two goals and two assists. Named All-WCC Second Team. Was a Soccer America Preseason All-American.

2007: Started all 22 games, tallying one goal and two assists while leading team in minutes played with 2,035. Started first two games of career in midfield. Notched first career assist vs. Vermont Sept. 2. Moved from midfield to central defense vs. Stanford (9/14) and started at center back every game after that. Team went 13-1-4 in games Anibaba started in central defense. WCC Freshman of the Year and All-WCC First Team. Top Drawer Soccer Team of Season All Freshman First Team.

International

Traveled to Mexico with U.S. U-18 National Team in early 2007 and was part of the side that took part in the Pan-American Games that July in Rio de Janeiro.

High School/Club

A 2007 graduate from Davis Senior High School in Davis, Calif. Named Gatorade California Player of the Year for soccer in 2006-07. Named Delta Valley Conference MVP in 2006-07 as a senior after scoring 16 goals and recording 12 assists. Led team to a 22-1-2 record and a berth in the sectional playoffs. Participated in soccer and basketball. Helped soccer team to section championship during junior year and led Davis to league title in 2006. Named All-League from 2004-2006. Named All-Metro from 2005-2006. Earned league's Defensive MVP award in 2005. Club team was the champion of the Nomads gold bracket.