Etienne Barbara
- Years with club: 2013
- Position: Forward
- Nationality: Maltese
Etienne Barbara joined Minnesota United FC (then Minnesota Stars FC) in January 2013 for the inaugural season of the rebranded club. He arrived in Minnesota with a high pedigree, having been named the NASL MVP (Golden Ball) and Golden Boot winner in 2011 with the Carolina RailHawks. Though a proven goalscorer, his time with the Loons was short, lasting only the NASL Spring Championship portion of the 2013 season. He was acquired in a trade for defender Mike Ambersley in August 2013.
Key stats with Minnesota United (NASL, 2013 Spring Season):
- NASL regular season appearances: 7
- Goals: 2
- Assists: 0
- Acquisition: Signed January 23, 2013.
- Departure: Traded to Tampa Bay Rowdies in August 2013.
Memorable moments:
- NASL MVP: His signing was one of the biggest moves of the offseason, as he was the most recent former league MVP. In 2011 with Carolina, he scored 20 goals and added 8 assists.
- First player to sign: He was the first player signed by the club after it officially rebranded as Minnesota United FC.
- International career: He made over 30 appearances for the Malta men’s national team during his career.
Where is he now?:
- After leaving Minnesota, Barbara played for the Tampa Bay Rowdies (2013) and then returned to his home country to play for several Maltese clubs, including Mosta FC and Gżira United FC, before retiring.
- After retirement, he focused on coaching and development.
- He is currently involved in soccer coaching and has been associated with youth development in the United States, including roles with various academies and camps.
