Mehdi Ballouchy

A creative midfielder with excellent touch and vision, Ballouchy enters his first full season with the Red Bulls after joining the club midseason last year. The former second overall draft selection landed a starting position with the Red Bulls after his move, helping the team clinch a playoff spot down the stretch. His creativity and penchant for setting up his teammates in the attacking third should be an asset for the Red Bulls in 2011.

Un mediocampista creativo con excelente toque y visión, Ballouchy entra en su primera temporada completa con los Red Bulls después de unirse al club  a mitad del año pasado. El ex segunda selección del Draft fue un aporte importante para el equipo, siendo decisivo para ganar un lugar en los playoffs en la recta final de la temporada. Su creatividad y su visión para habilitar a sus compañeros debe ser una gran ventaja para los Red Bulls en el 2011.

Professional:
2010: Made six appearances for the Red Bulls after being acquired from Colorado, scoring a goal and providing an assist. Made New York debut on Sept. 16 at FC Dallas, scoring his first New York goal in a 2-2 draw. Started and played 90 minutes in 2-0 win at Los Angeles on Sept. 24. Appeared in 21 matches for Colorado prior to joining the Red Bulls, starting 19 games and notching three goals and five assists.

2009: Appeared in 28 games, 23 starts, playing a career-high 2,148 minutes with two goals and a career-high and team-second seven assists. Tied for ninth in MLS in assists (7) and tied for eighth in corner kicks (67). Made game-winning assist on corner kick vs. Houston on Aug. 30. Set a new single season career-high with his fifth assist of the season vs. FC Dallas on June 24 on Omar Cummings’ game-tying 84th minute goal. Scored the game-winning goal on a penalty kick, his first score of the season, in a 3-2 win over New York on May 30 and added an assist. Played in 74 minutes at Los Angeles on April 7 in U.S. Open Cup play-in match and scored in penalty kick shootout victory.

2008: Played his first full season in a Rapids kit in 2008 recording a then career-high four assists in 12 starts and 18 games played. Played all 90 minutes of his first five consecutive starts. Scored his first goal and first assist of the season in the same match in a 4-0 victory against New York on July 4.

2007: Started eight of the nine games he appeared in for the Rapids logging 614 minutes. Made his Rapids debut playing 90 minutes on July 22 at Kansas City. Started all 14 games he appeared in with Real Salt Lake before being traded to the Rapids.

2006: Drafted by Real Salt Lake with the second overall selection in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft. Appeared in all 32 games for Real Salt Lake, including 26 starts, while logging 2,162 minutes and tallying two goals and two assists. Named one of three finalists for the 2006 MLS Gatorade Rookie of the Year Award. Made MLS debut in the starting XI on April 2 at Chivas USA, playing 73 minutes in a 3-0 defeat. Notched first career MLS assist on April 29 vs. Los Angeles, coming off the bench to help on Atiba Harris’s 74th minute goal in a 3-2 loss. First career MLS goal on May 20 vs. Kansas City in the 78th minute sparked RSL to a 2-1 comeback win.

Collegiate/Club: Played one season at Creighton, leading the Bluejays to the semifinals of the 2002 College Cup, before transferring to Santa Clara, where he played two seasons. Was a two-time All-American selection, including a First Team selection in 2005.

Personal: Son of Driss and and Malika Ballouchy. Father is a former French second division player. Lists Scarface and Gladiator as favorite movies. Major in college was finance.