Second Prime: Prodigy Quaranta Is Back With United

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SANTINO QUARANTA IS 23 years old.

That may seem like an ideal age for someone whose pro soccer career appears to be getting off the ground, but the D.C. United attacker will tell you it's about time. After all, he's in his eighth MLS season.

Quaranta was the first Freddy. A teenage phenom from Baltimore, he was drafted by United in 2001 and showed promise as the youngest player in league history, tallying five goals in 16 appearances. He represented the U.S. in the Under-17 World Cup that fall, and the sky was the limit.

Then the injuries started. A hernia, a hurt knee and a string of other ailments limited him to just 28 games over the next three years. By 2006, Quaranta, who wasn't known for his work ethic, had worn out his RFK Stadium welcome. He was traded to Los Angeles, dealt again to New York, then waived four months ago after injuring his foot.

"A million things were going through my mind. I was scared," he said. "It was basically the end for me as a player."

Except it turned out to be a new beginning. Confronted by his professional mortality, Quaranta threw himself into rehabbing both his body and his lifestyle. He stayed friendly with D.C. vets Jaime Moreno and Ben Olsen and convinced the club to give him a trial. There were other offers, but his heart was with United.

"It was like an interview, and it was an interview I was very comfortable going into," he said.

Quaranta was offered a $35,000 contract — about one-third of his former salary. "I would have played for nothing," he said.

United is getting its money's worth. Quaranta has provided depth both in midfield and up top and last weekend had his best game, locking down right midfield and scoring a beautiful goal in a 4-1 defeat of Salt Lake. D.C. (2-3) visits Colorado (2-3) on Sunday.

"It wasn't just soccer. It was more or less everything. It was me getting a second chance at life, basically," Quaranta said. "It's all paying off, and I'm just going to do more now. If it's gotten me this far, how much more can I do?"

Written by Express contributor Brian Straus
Photo by Joel Richardson/The Washington Post