Micheal Azira (born 22 August 1987) is a Ugandan professional footballer.
Professional career Azira signed with Charleston Battery of USL Pro in 2012. He scored the winning goal for Charleston against Wilmington Hammerheads in the 2012 USL Pro Championship match. Azira scored six more goals for the Battery in 2013.
Azira was transferred to Seattle Sounders FC of Major League Soccer on 6 March 2014. He made his MLS debut as a substitute against Montréal on 23 March.
Seattle did not renew Azira's contract following the 2015 season. Azira entered the MLS Waiver Draft in December 2015 and was selected by Colorado Rapids.
Azira was traded by the Rapids on 8 August 2018 to Montreal Impact for a fourth-round draft pick in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft.
Azira was traded again in August 2019, this time to the Chicago Fire. His contract with the club expired at the end of the 2020 season.
On 1 February 2021, Azira signed with USL Championship side New Mexico United.
International career Azira plays for his birth nation of Uganda. Coach Milutin Sredojević selected Azira for the final 23-man roster for 2017 Africa Cup of Nations.
Coaching career Azira served as head coach for the Daniel Island Soccer Academy U-16 and U-18 Boyz teams in Charleston, South Carolina. He also served as assistant coach at UMS-Wright in Mobile, Alabama for two seasons, helping lead them to a state title in 2011.
Personal life Azira previously held a U.S. green card, which qualified him as a domestic player for MLS roster purposes.
On 9 October 2021, Azira was naturalized as an American citizen in Albuquerque.
Career statistics
Club
ClubSeasonLeagueDomestic CupLeague CupContinentalTotalDivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsMississippi Brilla2010USL PDL100—00—1002011155—20—175Total255—20—275Charleston Battery2012USL Pro1400031—17120132652022—307Total4052053—478Seattle Sounders U-232013USL PDL1100——11Seattle Sounders FC2014MLS1405040—2302015100102040170Total240606040400Seattle Sounders U-23 (loan)2014USL PDL60———60Tacoma Defiance (loan)2015USL400000—40Colorado Rapids2016MLS3001040—350201730011——31120185010—1070Total650314010731Colorado Springs Switchbacks (loan)2018USL1000——10Montreal Impact2018MLS10100——101201919020——210Total29120——311Chicago Fire2019MLS4000—0040202060—00—60Total100000000100New Mexico United2021USL Championship281———28120222020——40Total3012000—321Career total235131511735026217
International
Uganda national teamYearAppsGoals201610201740201800201950Total100
Honours Charleston Battery
USL Pro Championship: 2012 Seattle Sounders U.S Open Cup: 2014 Supporters Shield: 2014
See also Ugandan Americans
References
External links