Steve Ralston

Steve Ralston currently serves as the assistant coach to the United States U-23 men’s national team.  Prior to that, Ralston was both an assistant coach and interim head coach of the San Jose Earthquakes.  He also spent four years as an assistant coach with the Houston Dynamo following his retirement from professional soccer. The Dynamo reached the MLS Cup Playoffs three times during Ralston’s tenure, including back-to-back trips to the MLS Cup Final in 2011 and 2012 and an appearance in the Eastern Conference Final in 2013.

A native of St. Louis, Ralston retired as the all-time MLS leader in assists (135), games played (378), starts (372), and minutes played (33,143). As a midfielder, he won the 2007 US Open Cup, the 2008 SuperLiga, and played in four MLS Cup finals for the New England Revolution. He was named an MLS All-Star seven times, the first MLS Rookie of the Year in 1996, and received MLS Best XI recognition three times during his 15-year career and is the only three-time recipient of the MLS Fair Play Award in league history.

On the international level, Ralston appeared 36 times for the United States national team and scored four goals, including the game-winning goal against Mexico on September 3, 2005, as the United States clinched qualification for the World Cup. He also represented the United States at the Gold Cup three times, including championship squads in 2005 and 2007.