Santino Quaranta

Santino Quaranta (born October 14, 1984 in Baltimore, Maryland, Maryland) is an American soccer player, who currently plays striker for Los Angeles Galaxy of Major League Soccer.

Quaranta was drafted eighth overall in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft by D.C. United, after having exceptional success with the US U-17 national team IMG Soccer Academy based in Bradenton, Florida. At 16 years, four months, Quaranta surpassed fellow D.C. player Bobby Convey as the youngest player in the history of MLS, a record which would subsequently be taken by another fellow United player, Freddy Adu. Quaranta immediately excelled in MLS, registering five goals and one assist in just 16 games during the 2001 season. Unfortunately, in the subsequent three seasons, Quaranta has been beset by injuries, and his promise has somewhat faded. Although he started all eleven games he played in during the 2002 season, Quaranta missed almost two-thirds of the season with injuries; things did not improve in 2003, when he only played in 12 games, and have not been much better in 2004, when he only played once. With fitness restored, Quaranta returned to form in 2005; Santino netted 5 goals and 5 assists in 18 games played, third highest on the club for goals scored.

Quaranta was traded to the Los Angeles Galaxy from D.C. United for a partial allocation and a conditional draft pick on August 9, 2006 . In his first match with the Galaxy the next day, Quaranta entered as a substitute and scored the only goal of the match in a 1-0 win over Houston Dynamo.

Quaranta has played internationally for the Under-17 and Under-20 United States men's national soccer team, but while he was dominant for the U-17's, he was not able to secure a starting place on the U-20's (although he did play in the 2003 FIFA World Youth Championship). After coming back from injuries in 2005, Quaranta received his first cap for the senior team July 7, 2005 in a 2005 CONCACAF Gold Cup match against Cuba national football team. He converted a penalty kick in the United States' shootout victory over Panama national football team in the Gold Cup championship game but has yet to score an international goal.

Quaranta partially attended Baltimore's Archbishop Curley High School for his Freshman and Sophomore years, where he started both years, and was recognized as one of the top players in the state. He has a daughter, Olivia Naomi, born in 2003.