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Quick Facts
Biography
Wílmer Cabrera Linares (born September 15, 1967) is a retired Colombian football defender and coach. He is currently the head coach of Houston Dynamo in Major League Soccer (MLS), and previously was head coach of Chivas USA and the United States men's national under-17 soccer team. During his playing career, Cabrera played as a right back for clubs in the Colombian league and the Colombia national team, representing the country at the 1998 FIFA World Cup.
Career
Cabrera, born on September 15, 1967 in Cartagena, Colombia and raised in Bogotá, made his professional debut at the age of 17 for Santa Fe.
His 18-year playing career included stints at América de Cali, Millonarios, Chicó, Independiente of Argentina, Herediano of Costa Rica and the Long Island Rough Riders of the United States.
International career
He was capped 48 times and scored 3 international goals for Colombia between 1989 and 1998. Cabrera was an unused substitute during the 1990 FIFA World Cup, but played in all of the country's three matches in the 1998 FIFA World Cup. He also played in four Copa América competitions in 1989, 1991, 1995 and 1997.
Coaching career
After retiring, Cabrera started working in Major League Soccer's front office as a community development manager working on Hispanic grassroots and youth programs. He also worked as an assistant coach for Suffolk County Community College men's soccer team. Cabrera is also a coach with top ranked youth soccer club B.W. Gottschee, based in Queens, New York.
Cabrera earned his USSF A Coaching License in 2005, and became an assistant coach with the United States men's national under-18 soccer team in 2007. He was named by the United States Soccer Federation as head coach of the United States men's national under-17 soccer team on October 25, 2007, becoming the first Latin American head coach in the U.S. national team system. On January 24, 2012, he was replaced in this role by Richie Williams.
In January 2012, Cabrera was named assistant coach for Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer.
In January 2014, Chivas USA appointed Cabrera as head coach. The club was dissolved by the league at the end of the season, with Cabrera's team finishing seventh in the Western Conference, the highest finish for Chivas USA in their final five seasons.
He was named head coach of the Rio Grande Valley FC Toros of the United Soccer League on December 2, 2015.
He was named head coach of the Houston Dynamo on October 28, 2016.
Team | From | To | Record | GF | GA | GD | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | W | L | T | Win % | ||||||
Chivas USA | January 9, 2014 | October 26, 2014 | 7001340000000000000♠34 | 7000900000000000000♠9 | 7001190000000000000♠19 | 7000600000000000000♠6 | 7001264700000000000♠26.47 | 29 | 61 | –32 |
Houston Dynamo | October 28, 2016 | present | 7001140000000000000♠14 | 7000700000000000000♠7 | 7000500000000000000♠5 | 7000200000000000000♠2 | 7001500000000000000♠50.00 | 27 | 21 | 6 |
Total | 7001480000000000000♠48 | 7001160000000000000♠16 | 7001240000000000000♠24 | 7000800000000000000♠8 | 7001333300000000000♠33.33 | 56 | 82 | –26 |
Titles
Season | Team | Title |
---|---|---|
1989 | ![]() | Copa Colombia |
1990 | ![]() | Colombian league |
1992 | ![]() | Colombian league |
1997 | ![]() | Colombian league |