View source for Atiba Harris

{{short description|Kittitian former professional footballer (born 1985)}}
{{EngvarB|date=May 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2021}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name           = Atiba Erasto Harris
| image          = Atiba Harris photographed by Christopher Vose.jpg
| caption        = Harris in 2012
| fullname       = 
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1985|1|9|df=y}}<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20190218141751/http://static.fifa.com/fifa-tournaments/players-coaches/people=207986/index.html FIFA.com]</ref>
| birth_place    = [[Basseterre]], Saint Kitts and Nevis
| height         = 6ft 3in
| position       = [[Defender (association football)|Defender]]
| currentclub    =
| clubnumber     =
| youthyears1    =           | youthclubs1 = [[St. Peters Strikers FC|St. Peters FC]]
| years1         = 2003–2005 | clubs1 = [[Cádiz CF|Cádiz]]              | caps1 = 0  | goals1 = 0
| years2         = 2003–2004 | clubs2 = → [[CD Linares|Linares]] (loan) | caps2 =    | goals2 =
| years3         = 2006–2007 | clubs3 = [[Real Salt Lake]]              | caps3 = 43 | goals3 = 4
| years4         = 2008–2009 | clubs4 = [[Chivas USA]]                  | caps4 = 42 | goals4 = 5
| years5         = 2009–2010 | clubs5 = [[FC Dallas]]                   | caps5 = 41 | goals5 = 6
| years6         = 2011–2012 | clubs6 = [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC]]      | caps6 = 12 | goals6 = 2
| years7         = 2013      | clubs7 = [[Colorado Rapids]]             | caps7 = 29 | goals7 = 5
| years8         = 2014      | clubs8 = [[San Jose Earthquakes]]        | caps8 = 24 | goals8 = 4
| years9         = 2015–2017 | clubs9 = [[FC Dallas]]                   | caps9 = 84 | goals9 = 5
| years10        = 2018      | clubs10 = [[Murciélagos F.C.|Murciélagos]]| caps10 = 3 | goals10 = 0
| years11        = 2018–2021 | clubs11 = [[Oklahoma City Energy]]       | caps11 = 55 | goals11 = 4
| nationalyears1 = 2003–2020 | nationalteam1 = [[Saint Kitts and Nevis national football team|Saint Kitts and Nevis]] 
| nationalcaps1 = 63 | nationalgoals1 = 17
| pcupdate       = 6 October 2020
| ntupdate       = 15 October 2018
}}

'''Atiba Erasto Harris''' (born 9 January 1985) is a [[Saint Kitts and Nevis|Kittitian]] [[association football|football]] administrator and former professional footballer. He captained the [[Saint Kitts and Nevis national football team|Saint Kitts and Nevis national team]].

As of August 2021, he serves as President of the [[St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association]].

== Career ==
=== Club ===
Harris played for St. Peters FC as a youngster, captaining them to the SKNFA Premier League Finals, and became the first player from St. Kitts-Nevis to sign with a Spanish club when he signed in Spain with [[Cádiz CF|Cádiz]] in 2003–04.

In 2006, he became the first St. Kitts player to sign with [[Major League Soccer]].{{citation needed|date=January 2017}} He signed with Salt Lake and scored four goals and recorded one assist in 12 starts.

In December 2007, Harris was traded to [[Chivas USA]] for a third-round pick in the [[2008 MLS SuperDraft|2008 SuperDraft]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.espnfc.com/story/492799/chivas-usa-acquires-harris-from-rsl|title=Chivas USA acquires Harris from RSL|work=ESPNFC.com|accessdate=4 November 2014}}</ref> After a season and a half with Chivas USA, the Goats traded Harris in July 2009 to [[FC Dallas]] in exchange for [[Marcelo Saragosa]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://seattletimes.com/html/sports/2009490603_apsocmlsfcdallaschivasusatrade.html|title=Sports – Chivas USA acquires Saragosa in trade – Seattle Times Newspaper|publisher=|accessdate=4 November 2014}}</ref> Harris ended his Chivas USA career with 42 appearances, 5 goals, and 7 assists.

On 12 September 2009, in a match against [[Los Angeles Galaxy]], Harris scored his first goal with FC Dallas off a [[Dax McCarty]] cross. He went on to score another goal vs Seattle finishing the season with two goals and five assists for FC Dallas and four goals and seven assists overall for the 2009 MLS season. Harris was a key player for Dallas in 2010 scoring four goals during the season and helping the club reach its first [[MLS Cup]] final.

He was selected by the [[Vancouver Whitecaps FC]] in the [[2011 MLS Expansion Draft]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prostamerika.com/2010/11/24/expansion-draft-lates-32605/ |title=Prost Amerika |publisher=Prost Amerika |date=24 November 2010 |accessdate=6 November 2011 |archive-date=21 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721214412/http://www.prostamerika.com/2010/11/24/expansion-draft-lates-32605/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> Harris suffered an injury and missed most of the 2011 season. He stayed with Vancouver throughout the 2012 season before being traded to [[Colorado Rapids]] in December 2012 in exchange for an [[MLS International Roster Slots|international roster spot]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2012/12/rapids-acquire-atiba-harris-trade-vancouver|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130123041540/http://www.coloradorapids.com/news/2012/12/rapids-acquire-atiba-harris-trade-vancouver|url-status=dead|archive-date=23 January 2013|title=Rapids acquire Atiba Harris in trade with Vancouver|work=Colorado Rapids|accessdate=4 November 2014}}</ref>

After one season in Colorado Harris was traded to [[San Jose Earthquakes]] in January 2014 in exchange for [[Marvin Chávez]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/01/07/san-jose-earthquakes-deal-marvin-chavez-colorado-rapids-atiba-harris|title=San Jose Earthquakes deal Marvin Chavez to Colorado Rapids for Atiba Harris|work=MLSsoccer.com|accessdate=2 October 2014}}</ref>

Harris stayed one season in San Jose before entering the [[2014 MLS Re-Entry Draft]] in December 2014. He was selected in stage two of the draft by [[FC Dallas]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/12/18/san-jose-earthquakes-houston-dynamo-each-grab-two-players-stage-2-re-entry-d|title=San Jose Earthquakes, Houston Dynamo each grab two players in Stage 2 of Re-Entry Draft|work=MLSsoccer.com}}</ref> During his second stint in Dallas, head coach [[Óscar Pareja]] mostly used Harris as a right fullback.

=== International ===

Harris has played for the [[Saint Kitts and Nevis national football team|Saint Kitts and Nevis national team]] since 2003 and served as team [[Captain (sports)|captain]]. He played in five of St. Kitts' [[2006 FIFA World Cup]] qualifying games, and in its [[2010 FIFA World Cup]] qualifying game against [[Belize national football team|Belize]] on 6 February 2008.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/matches/round=250441/match=10000008/index.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208150103/http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/nccamerica/matches/round=250441/match=10000008/index.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=8 February 2008 |title=FIFA Match Report: Belize vs. Saint Kitts and Nevis |publisher=Fifa.com |date=7 February 2008 |accessdate=6 November 2011}}</ref>

== Post-playing career ==

In May 2021, following his retirement from playing, Harris declared his candidacy for president of the [[St. Kitts and Nevis Football Association]],<ref>{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Sean A. |title=St Kitts flagbearer Atiba Harris hangs up boots |url=https://www.jamaicaobserver.com/sports/st-kitts-flagbearer-atiba-harris-hangs-up-boots-vows-to-take-game-to-next-level-if-elected-president-of-local-association_221691 |access-date=8 September 2021 |work=Jamaica Observer |date=21 May 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Dixon |first1=Loshaun |title=SKNFA Election This Sunday |url=https://www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/sknfa-election-this-sunday/ |access-date=8 September 2021 |work=The St Kitts & Nevis Observer |date=27 August 2021}}</ref> which he won on 29 August.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dixon |first1=Loshaun |title=Atiba Harris New President Of The SKNFA |url=https://www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/atiba-harris-new-president-of-the-sknfa/ |access-date=7 September 2021 |work=The St Kitts & Nevis Observer |date=30 August 2021}}</ref>

Under his leadership, the [[Saint Kitts and Nevis national football team|Saint Kitts and Nevis men's national team]] has qualified for its country’s first major tournament when they qualified for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup in the United States. He was re-elect as President of the SKNFA on 12th January 2025 to serve a second term from 2025 to 2029.

== Career statistics ==
=== International goals ===
:''Scores and results list Saint Kitts and Nevis's goal tally first.''<ref name="NFT">{{cite web|url=http://www.national-football-teams.com/player/5523/Atiba_Harris.html|title=Harris, Atiba|publisher=National Football Teams|accessdate=31 January 2017}}</ref>
 
{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:85%;"
! No !! Date !! Venue !! Opponent !! Score !! Result !! Competition
|-
| 1. || 20 September 2006 || [[Antigua Recreation Ground]], [[St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda|St. John's]], Antigua and Barbuda || {{fb|BRB}} || align=center | '''1'''–1 || align=center | 1–1 || [[2007 Caribbean Cup#First Qualifying Round|2007 Caribbean Cup qualification]]
|-
| 2. || 3 April 2010 || [[Warner Park Sporting Complex]], [[Basseterre]], Saint Kitts and Nevis || {{fb|Guadeloupe|local}} || align=center | '''1'''–0 || align=center | 3–0 || [[Exhibition game|Friendly]]
|-
| 3. || 10 October 2010 || Warner Park Sporting Complex, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis || {{fb|AIA}} || align=center | '''2'''–0 || align=center | 2–0 || [[2012 Caribbean Cup qualification]]
|-
| 4. || 5 September 2014 || Warner Park Sporting Complex, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis || {{fb|DMA}} || align=center | '''3'''–0 || align=center | 5–0 || [[2014 Caribbean Cup qualification]]
|-
| 5. || 7 September 2014 || Warner Park Sporting Complex, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis || {{fb|GUY}} || align=center | '''2'''–0 || align=center | 2–0 || 2014 Caribbean Cup qualification
|-
| 6. || 23 March 2015 || Warner Park Sporting Complex, Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis || {{fb|TCA}} || align=center | '''1'''–0 || align=center | 6–2 || [[2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF first round|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 7. || 16 June 2015 || [[Estadio Cuscatlán]], [[San Salvador]], El Salvador || {{fb|SLV}} || align=center | '''1'''–3 || align=center | 1–4 || [[2018 FIFA World Cup qualification – CONCACAF second round|2018 FIFA World Cup qualification]]
|-
| 8. || rowspan="3" | 14 October 2018 || rowspan="3" | [[Raymond E. Guishard Technical Centre]], [[The Valley, Anguilla|The Valley]], Anguilla || rowspan="3" | {{fb|SMT}} || align=center | '''1'''–0 || rowspan="3" style="text-align:center"| 10–0 || rowspan="3" |[[2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualifying|2019–20 CONCACAF Nations League qualification]]
|-
| 9. || align=center | '''2'''–0
|-
| 10. || align=center | '''7'''–0
|}

== Personal life ==

Harris is from [[Monkey Hill]], [[Saint Kitts]]. He is the son of Sonia Williams of [[Gingerland]], [[Nevis]], and Egbert Harris of St. Peter's, St. Kitts. He has two older sisters along with a younger brother, Kareem Harris, who is also a footballer. He and his wife Rachael Harris have four daughters.

He is the cousin of English former footballer [[Micah Richards]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mcfc.co.uk/Video/Interviews/Summer-tour-Micah-meets-Whitecaps-cousin |title=Summer tour: Micah meets Whitecaps cousin – Manchester City FC |publisher=Mcfc.co.uk |date=18 July 2011 |accessdate=6 November 2011}}</ref>

== Honours ==

'''FC Dallas'''
* [[Western Conference (MLS)|Western Conference]]
** Playoffs: [[2010 Major League Soccer season|2010]]
** Regular Season: [[2015 Major League Soccer season|2015]], [[2016 Major League Soccer|2016]]
* [[Supporters' Shield]]: 2016
* [[Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup]]: [[2016 U.S. Open Cup|2016]]

== Legacy ==

On 14 February 2020, the sporting facility in his hometown St. Peter's was renamed the Atiba Erasto Harris Sporting Complex. This facility hosts a football field along with both a basketball and a netball court.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.myvuenews.com/st-peters-playing-field-renamed-the-atiba-erasto-harris-sporting-complex/|title = St. Peter's Playing Field Renamed the Atiba Erasto Harris Sporting Complex}}</ref> On 29 August 2021, Harris became the youngest president of the SKNFA at the age of 36.
1st President to lead his country to a major tournament when the St. Kitts-Nevis Senior Men’s Team qualified for the 2023 Concacaf Gold Cup in the United States.

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{MLS player|atiba-harris}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Atiba}}
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:People from Basseterre]]
[[Category:Saint Kitts and Nevis men's footballers]]
[[Category:Saint Kitts and Nevis men's international footballers]]
[[Category:Cádiz CF players]]
[[Category:CD Linares players]]
[[Category:Real Salt Lake players]]
[[Category:Chivas USA players]]
[[Category:FC Dallas players]]
[[Category:Vancouver Whitecaps FC players]]
[[Category:Colorado Rapids players]]
[[Category:San Jose Earthquakes players]]
[[Category:OKC Energy FC players]]
[[Category:Murciélagos F.C. footballers]]
[[Category:Saint Kitts and Nevis expatriate men's footballers]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Spain]]
[[Category:Saint Kitts and Nevis expatriate sportspeople in Spain]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's footballers in Mexico]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States]]
[[Category:Expatriate men's soccer players in Canada]]
[[Category:Saint Kitts and Nevis expatriate sportspeople in Canada]]
[[Category:Saint Kitts and Nevis expatriate sportspeople in Mexico]]
[[Category:Saint Kitts and Nevis expatriate sportspeople in the United States]]
[[Category:Major League Soccer players]]
[[Category:Men's association football wingers]]
[[Category:Men's association football defenders]]
[[Category:USL Championship players]]