A two-time All-Star and five-time MLS Goal of the Week winner, Eskandarian has captured awards throughout his career, including the 2002 Hermann Trophy after his junior year at the University of Virginia. Eskandarian, who is of Armenian descent, is the son of Iranian National team player Andranik Eskandarian, who represented his country at the 1978 World Cup and thereafter played for the New York Cosmos of the North American Soccer League.
2008: After missing much of the first half of the season due to sports hernia surgery, Eskandarian came on strong late in the year and finished the season tied for first on the team with five goals. In a span between Aug. 30 and Oct. 4, he scored against each of his three previous teams (RSL, DC, Toronto).
2007: Between Real Salt Lake and Toronto, played 23 games (starting all 23), scoring 2 goals and adding 3 assists, logging 1,913 minutes.
2006: Came back from his concussion by scoring against New York in the season opener, and finished the year with seven goals and two assists, including Goal of the Week honors on May 13 for his tally against KC. His impressive return to form netted Eskandarian a Commissioner's Pick as an MLS All-Star.
2005: In 12 games (seven starts), recorded one goal and one assist before suffering a season-ending concussion on June 18 at New England after colliding with Revs GK Matt Reis.
2004: Led D.C. United in scoring with 10 goals and earning MLS Cup MVP honors while guiding the team to an MLS Cup victory, and was twice awarded MLS Player of the Week honors (6/19 and 9/11) and won four Sierra Mist Goal of the Week accolades (4/3, 6/19, 7/3, and 9/18). His strong play also earned him the D.C. United Coaches Award for 2004 and his first spot on the MLS All-Star team.
2003: After being the first overall pick in the 2003 MLS SuperDraft, Eskandarian appeared in 23 games for D.C. United and finished his first MLS season with three goals and two assists.
Was named to the U.S. U-23 National Team for the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico in 2004, finishing the tournament with four goals, including a hat trick against Honduras. He earned his lone cap for the U.S. Senior Men's National Team on May 26, 2003, against Wales in San Jose.
Played three standout seasons at the University of Virginia and established himself as one of the all-time greats at the school, finishing his Cavaliers career with 50 goals (including 15 game winners) and 13 assists. In his junior season, in 2002, Eskandarian set a single-season school record with 25 goals, and collected nearly every award he was up for after being named the Missouri Athletic Club's Hermann Trophy award winner, Soccer America's Player of the Year, a NSCAA/adidas NCAA Division I First Team All-American, and many others. In his sophomore year, Eskandarian scored nine goals, and was a Second Team All-American. As a freshman, in 2000, led the team with 16 goals and six assists.
Played four years at Bergen Catholic High School in New Jersey, where he was selected as the 2000 Gatorade National Player of the Year. Was also named a NSCAA/adidas All-American and New Jersey State Player of the Year after leading the state of New Jersey in scoring with 66 goals and 15 assists through 25 games during his senior year. Eskandarian was a three-time All-State selection in New Jersey and a two-time Bergen Catholic MVP and was twice named to the NSCAA All-East team.
Parents are Andranik and Anahid, older brother is Ara…His father, Andranik, was a professional soccer player for the New York Cosmos and played in the 1978 World Cup with Iran; Ara played soccer at Villanova…Was born in Hackensack, NJ, raised in Montvale, NJ, and currently lives in Hermosa Beach but is a fan of all New Jersey sports teams: the Nets, Jets and Mets. Also enjoys watching Arsenal play…Is proud of his Armenian heritage, and is happy to be in Los Angeles where he can give back to a large Armenian community. Cites Armenian food as his favorite, along with Mexican food and sushi…Best soccer memory is scoring a goal in the first game of the 2004 MLS season on national television and dedicating it to his friend Nicole Megaloudis, who had recently passed away: "I wrote a message for her on my t-shirt underneath my jersey and I know it touched many people, especially her family, who were able to see that."
MLS Cup Champion (2004)
MLS Cup MVP (2004)
MLS All-Star (2004, 2006)
Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Winner (2002)
NCAA First Team All-American (2002)
NCAA Second Team All-American (2001)
