PRONUNCIATION
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2017 (Columbus): Finlay has made 19 appearances (14 starts) this season: 15 as a right midfielder, two appearances (one start) as an attacking midfielder, one as a right wingback and one as a right winger and he has registered one goal and one assist. He made his season debut as a starter in the Opening Match against the Chicago Fire, scoring one goal (March 4). The midfielder started in a road contest against Houston (March 11). Finlay came on as a substitute in a road contest against D.C. (March 18), started in a home contest against Portland (March 25), at home against Orlando City SC (April 1) and on the road against the Chicago Fire (April 8). He came on as a substitute in a home match against Toronto FC (April 15) and on the road against the New York Red Bulls (April 22). Finlay returned to the starting lineup against New York City FC and recorded his first assist of the season - and 30th regular-season career assist - to become the fifth player in club history to record 30 goals and 30 assists or more for the Black & Gold (April 29). He started in home matches against the New England Revolution (May 6) and Toronto FC (May 10). He missed the matches at the Montreal Impact (May 13) after being listed as questionable with a left knee contusion and at the New England Revolution (May 21) after being listed as questionable with a left thigh strain that week. Finlay made a substitute appearance in a road contest against Toronto FC (May 26) coming into the match for Ola Kamara. Finlay returned to the starting lineup in a home match against Seattle Sounders FC (May 31). He made his 100th career start in a home match against Atlanta United FC (July 1). Finlay made a substitute appearance in an international friendly match at home against Eintracht Frankfurt (July 14).
2016 (Columbus): Finlay made 34 appearances (28 starts) for Crew SC, with 33 appearances coming at right midfield and one at forward. He recorded six goals and nine assists. He started in the season opener at Portland (March 6), where he notched his first assist of the season. He received a call-up by the United States National Team and earned his third cap in a FIFA World Cup qualification match at MAPFRE Stadium against Guatemala (March 29). He registered one goal and one assist vs. New York City FC (April 16). He started at Philadelphia (June 1) and registered his second career multi-assist match. He started at forward against Montreal (June 18). Finlay returned to right midfield against the Red Bulls (June 25) and notched an assist on Ola Kamara's 93rd-minute game-tying goal. He registered an assist for the second consecutive match during a start at Sporting Kansas City (July 3). He started against New York City (August 13) and registered his first brace of the 2016 regular season. He scored for the second consecutive game by recording his fourth goal of the regular season at New England (August 20). Finlay notched his fourth goal over four matches by scoring the game-winning tally against San Jose (August 27). He recorded a goal and two assists in a start at Orlando (September 17). He notched his ninth assist in a substitute appearance at New York Red Bulls (October 16). He made two appearances in the 2016 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and scored two goals and added one assist in the competition. He made a substitute appearance in the win over Tampa Bay (June 15) and assisted on Cristian Martinez's goal and converted a penalty kick. He again scored a penalty kick in the Round of 16 match at Chicago after coming on at halftime (June 28).
2015 (Columbus): Finlay made 34 appearances (34 starts) at right midfield with 12 goals and 13 assists on the season, becoming just the second player in Crew SC history to ever record double figures in both categories over a single campaign. He was also named to the MLS Best XI following the season for the first time in his career. He made his season debut with a start at Houston (March 7). He started the home opener against Toronto FC (March 14), recording an assist on Justin Meram’s game-winning goal. He scored his first two goals of the year vs. Philadelphia (April 25), adding an assist in a performance that ultimately captured the MLS Player of the Week award. Continuing his strong form, he recorded his sixth assist vs. Chicago (May 22) on Kei Kamara’s first-half goal, which was the 500th-ever home regular-season goal in Black & Gold history. Finlay recorded his fourth-ever contest with at least one goal and one assist by notching one of each at Real Salt Lake (June 27). He was named to the 2015 AT&T MLS All-Star Game, his first-ever All-Star nod, and played 45 minutes in the contest (July 29). He scored his ninth goal of the campaign at D.C. United (September 19), becoming the seventh person in team history to reach 20 career goals and 20 career assists. Finlay scored two goals against D.C. United on Decision Day (October 25), setting a new single-season career-best in the category with 12. In the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs, Finlay started all five of Crew SC's matches, registering his first-ever postseason goal in the Second Leg against Montreal (November 8), a tally that tied the series on aggregate. Finlay started in Crew SC’s 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Fourth Round contest at Richmond (June 17), scoring the game-winning goal en route to a 3-1 victory.
2014 (Columbus): Finlay made 29 appearances -- including 21 starts -- on the wing. He experienced a breakout season and shared the club’s Budweiser Golden Boot after tying for the team lead in goals (11) and assists (seven). He became the first American player on the club to record 10 goals in a season in the last 10 years. He scored his first career goal in the 80th minute of the 3-3 draw at Portland (May 17). Finlay made his first start of the season and scored his second goal of the season -- the game-winning goal -- against Chicago (May 24). He started in his second consecutive match and recorded his first career assist on Justin Meram’s goal at Toronto FC (May 31). Finlay scored his third goal of the season -- the game tying goal -- against Real Salt Lake (June 4), which extened his streak of recording a goal or an assist to four matches. He missed the match against FC Dallas (June 29) while recovering from an appendectomy, but he returned to the starting lineup and scored Columbus’ only goal in a 1-1 draw at Colorado (July 4), his fourth of the season. He started at New England (July 26) and scored the game-winning goal in the 84th minute. Finlay notched a goal and an assist versus the LA Galaxy in his eighth-straight start (August 16). He was re-signed to a contract extension on October 24. He made his postseason debut by starting at right midfield in the Black & Gold’s opener versus New England (November 1). He also started in the second leg at the Revolution (November 9) and received a red card in the match that was later rescinded by MLS . Finlay appeared in one Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup match -- he started and played all 120 minutes in the 2-1 win over Indy Eleven in the Fourth Round (June 17) but missed the Fifth Round match at Chicago (June 25) with an acute case of appendicitis.
2013 (Columbus): Finlay made 19 appearances -- including three starts -- in 2013. He made his season debut in a substitute appearance against San Jose (March 16) and made a substitute appearance in the international friendly against Wigan Athletic (July 13). His first start of the season came in a start at right midfield against Houston (September 4) and earned a second start in the next match at Sporting KC (September 7). He returned to the starting lineup - his third start on the season - at right midfield at New England (October 19). He also recorded one goal and two assists in 12 starts in MLS Reserve League action and also made two appearances, including one start at right wing, in the 2013 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
2012 (Columbus): Drafted 10th overall in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft, Finlay made appeared in 15 matches and made three starts as a rookie for the Black & Gold. The winger's professional debut came in the season opener on March 10 in Colorado, coming on as a substitute in the 12th minute for an injured Dilly Duka. Registering 426 minutes for Columbus’ First Team, Finlay played a key role in the Black & Gold's 2012 MLS Reserve League Eastern Conference title.
INTERNATIONAL EXPERIENCE
As of March 30, 2016
Finlay has earned three caps for the United States. He received his first-ever international call-up by the U.S. on January 6, 2016 by head coach Jürgen Klinsmann to participate in U.S. Soccer's annual January camp. Held in Carson, California, the camp began on January 11, 2016. Finlay made his first appearance for the United States with a start in a friendly against Iceland on January 31. Later in the camp, on February 5 against Canada, Finlay earned his second cap as a second-half substitute and provided the game-winning assist on a cross from the left flank to Jozy Altidore in the 89th minute.
The midfielder was again called in by the United States National Team ahead of two qualification matches for the FIFA World Cup against Guatemala on both March 25 in Guatemala City and on March 29 at MAPFRE Stadium. He earned his third cap in the contest on his home club field on March 29, making a substitute appearance as part of a 4-0 victory. In doing so, he became the fifth player to ever appear in an international match at MAPFRE Stadium while a member of Crew SC's active roster.
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
Finlay appeared in 79 matches (all starts) scoring 43 goals as a student-athlete at Creighton University. The winger led the Bluejays to its first College Cup appearance since 2002 and a 21-2-1 record during his senior season and was a MAC Hermann Trophy finalist in 2011. Finlay received the prestigious Fred Ware Award in 2012 as Nebraska's top collegiate athlete.
YOUTH EXPERIENCE
Finlay was honored by the NSCAA as a Youth All-American and tabbed first-team all-state and all-conference as a senior when he was named team MVP after totalling 41 goals and 19 assists for 101 points for Marshfield High School. Marshfield won the regional championship in each of his final three prep campaigns. Finlay holds school record with 98 career goals and 59 career assists for 255 career points. The winger played club soccer for FC Milwaukee, scoring the game-winning goal in the Region II championships to help his team advance to nationals. Finlay was also a member of Wisconsin ODP and the Chicago Fire's PDL side.
ACQUIRED
Finlay was selected 10th overall in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft by the Black & Gold. He was signed to contract extensions on both October 24, 2014 and January 11, 2016.
PERSONAL
Finlay is the son of Brent and Julie Finlay. His role models are his parents. In his time off the field, he enjoys playing board game Settlers of Catan, cards and tennis. He enjoys eating Jet’s Pizza, pasta and grilled chicken with anything. Finlay enjoys a wide variety of movies including action movies, dramas, comedies and even a good chick flick sometimes. His go-to movies include the “Harry Potter” series, “Rounders” and the “Bourne” series. Finlay is a fan of country and pop music, and his favorite musical artists include Zac Brown Band, Kenny Chesney and Justin Timberlake. His favorite place he’s visited is Paris and would like to travel to London someday. Finlay is a fan of Manchester United and the Green Bay Packers, and his favorite soccer player is FC Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery. His favorite soccer memory is scoring the game-winning, overtime goal against the University of South Florida, which sent his team, Creighton University, to the 2011 NCAA College Cup -- its first in nine years.
