Atlanta United signed free agent defender Brek Shea to a one-year deal on Dec. 30, 2018. The nine-year MLS veteran joined Atlanta following a two-year stint with the Vancouver Whitecaps. He has made 197 regular season and eight postseason appearances in MLS for FC Dallas, Orlando City SC and Vancouver while also playing for English Premier League side Stoke City and Championship sides Barnsley and Birmingham on loan spells and has been capped by the USMNT 34 times. Shea, 28, was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas. During a breakout season in 2011, Shea started 30 of 31 games and scored a career-best 11 goals. The College Station, Texas native was voted to the MLS All-Star Game, was an MLS Best XI selection and an MLS MVP finalist that season.
Shea made a move to the English Premier League, where he joined Stoke City on January 31, 2013. He made his debut a month later against Fulham. He went on to make one more appearance that season. After missing the start of the 2013-14 season due to a knee injury, Shea joined Barnsley in the English Championship on a loan stint. Later that season, he joined Birmingham City on a loan to earn more playing time. In December of 2014, Shea returned to MLS to join Orlando City SC.
2018 (Vancouver Whitecaps): Made 28 appearances and 15 starts for the Whitecaps, recording three goals and two assists.
2017 (Vancouver Whitecaps): Made 25 appearances and 14 starts, scoring four goals and adding two assists. MLS Cup Playoffs: Made three appearances and one start. Tallied two assists.
2016 (Orlando City SC): Made 27 appearances and 22 starts, scoring three goals and adding two assists.
2015 (Orlando City SC): Shea returned from England to join Orlando City for the club’s 2015 expansion season. Made 19 appearances and 17 starts, recording four assists.
2012 (FC Dallas): Made 21 appearances and 20 starts. Recorded three goals and two assists.
2011 (FC Dallas): Made 31 appearances and 30 starts. Scored 11 goals and added four assists. Voted to the MLS All-Star Game, was an MLS Best XI selection and an MLS MVP finalist. MLS Cup Playoffs: One start.
2010 (FC Dallas): Made 25 appearances and 21 starts. Scored five goals and added four assists. His first professional goal came on May 15, 2010 against Philadelphia Union. MLS Cup Playoffs: Made four appearances and three starts, including MLS Cup, tallying two assists during Dallas’ run to the MLS Cup Final, which it lost to Colorado Rapids.
2009 (FC Dallas): Made 19 appearances and seven starts. Recorded four assists.
2008 (FC Dallas): Shea was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft by FC Dallas. Made his MLS debut on April 20, 2018 when he featured off the bench against Chivas USA. Made two appearances.
INTERNATIONAL: An alum of the U.S. residency program in Bradenton, Fla., Shea has been a long-time member of the U.S. Men’s National Team program. He played for the U-17 and U-20 national teams before making his senior national team debut in October 2010. He played the first half in a friendly against Colombia, becoming the first U.S. player born in the 1990’s to make an appearance for the senior national team. He has since gone on to earn 34 caps and score four goals.
