Alex Yi

Alexander Hyun Yi (; or ; born February 27, 1982) is an American former professional soccer player who last played for FC Dallas of Major League Soccer. He is currently assistant coach for Ventura County.

Early life Yi was born in Alexandria, Virginia, to Korean-American parents. His father, Kyom Yi, had previously played for the South Korean national team's youth squad.

Yi developed an early interest in soccer through participation in youth leagues and club teams in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area, notably playing for FC Potomac alongside future Major League Soccer talents such as Kyle Beckerman and Oguchi Onyewu. He was recognized as a first-team Parade All-American in 2000 and a two-time National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) All-American, achievements that highlighted his defensive prowess and solidified his commitment to pursuing soccer at the collegiate level. Upon graduating, he matriculated to UCLA, where he played college soccer in 2000 and 2001, where he started in 41 games and was named a third team All-American as a sophomore. He was named PAC-10 Player of the Year.

Following his sophomore year Yi left UCLA to pursue a professional career in Europe; he signed with Royal Antwerp of the Belgian First Division, a feeder club of Manchester United, before the start of the 2002–03 season. Yi disappointingly only appeared in four matches for Antwerp in the 2002–03 season, and, after appearing in only seven for the struggling club in the subsequent season, was released from his contract to pursue opportunities in America.

Yi was coveted by several teams upon his return to the United States, most notably his hometown D.C. United, but was eventually allocated to FC Dallas through a weighted lottery on January 12, 2005.

Coaching career Alex Yi retired from soccer in April 2008. He struggled with injury and decided to head back to school, applying to UCLA. Eventually, he was hired as an assistant coach at the University of Dayton.

International career Yi has played for the U17, U20, and U23 United States youth national teams, and played in the 1999 and 2001 Football World Youth Championship. His father, Kyom Yi, played for the South Korean national team at the youth level.

Honours United States U17 FIFA U-17 World Cup fourth place: 1999