Anthony Ampaipitakwong

Anthony Petch Ampaipitakwong (Thai: แอนโธนี่ เพ็ชร อําไพพิทักษ์วงศ์; born 14 June 1988) is a retired^[2] professional footballer who played as a defensive midfielder. Born in the United States, he played for the Thailand national team.^[3]

Anthony Ampaipitakwong

Ampaipitakwong with Bangkok United in 2018
Personal information
Full name	Anthony Petch Ampaipitakwong
Date of birth	(1988-06-14) 14 June 1988 (age 37)
Place of birth	Carrollton, Texas, United States
Height	1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)[1]
Position(s)	Defensive midfielder
Youth career
2003–2005	IMG Soccer Academy
2005–2007	Dallas Texans
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2007–2010	Akron Zips	93	(17)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2006–2009	Bradenton Academics	45	(6)
2011–2012	San Jose Earthquakes	12	(0)
2012–2013	Buriram United	16	(3)
2013–2021	Bangkok United	179	(6)
Total		252	(15)
International career‡
2004	United States U17	4	(1)
2013	Thailand	2	(0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals ‡ National team caps and goals as of March 17, 2013

Personal life

Anthony was born in Carrollton, Texas. His mother is American and his father is Thai. From 2003 to 2005, Ampaipitakwong was a part of the United States U-17 national team Residency program in Bradenton, Florida.^[4]

College and amateur

While a student at the University of Akron, Ampaipitakwong helped the Akron Zips men's soccer team, coached by Caleb Porter, to their first national championship in 2010 with a win in the College Cup Final against Louisville. He was on the Hermann Trophy Watch List and was a College Soccer News Preseason All-American. He was a co-captain on a team that lost two games over two years. He was a National Soccer Coaches Association of America (NSCAA) First Team All-American and a Soccer America MVP First Team selection in 2009. He was the winner of the NCAA Senior CLASS Award in 2010.

Ampaipitakwong started all 93 games he appeared in over his four-year career at Akron, scoring 17 goals with 30 assists. In his senior season, he scored three goals and had a career high 11 assists.

During his college years Ampaipitakwong also played with the Bradenton Academics in the USL Premier Development League, scoring 6 goals in 45 league appearances over four seasons with the team.^[5][6][7][8]

Club career

Ampaipitakwong was selected by the San Jose Earthquakes in the second round of the 2011 MLS SuperDraft (33rd overall).^[9] He signed with the club on March 1, 2011,^[10] and made his professional debut on March 19 in the first game of the 2011 MLS season, a 1–0 loss to Real Salt Lake.^[11] In June 2012, Ampaipitakwong signed a 2.5 year contract with Thai Premier League side Buriram United.^[12] In the second leg of the 2013 Thai Premier League Ampaipitakwong was bought from Buriram United by Bangkok United and signed a 2.5 year deal.

On 19 March 2022, Ampaipitakwong came to watch the Thai League game, where Bangkok United beat Chiangrai United 3–0 before bid farewell to teammates and club fans after deciding to officially retired from professional footballer and will travel back to his hometown in Carrollton, Texas, USA.^[13]

International career

Ampaipitakwong represented the United States under-17 national team.^[14]

He represented the Thailand national football team, as his father is Thai. He played his first match with the Thai national team in the match against Qatar on March 17, 2013.

Statistics

As of 3 April 2021

Club	Season	League		Cup		League Cup		Continental		Total
		Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
San Jose Earthquakes	2011	12	0	2	0	—		—		14	0
	2012	0	0	0	0	—		—		0	0
	Total	12	0	2	0	—		—		14	0
Buriram United	2012	10	3	5	0	6	1	—		21	4
	2013	6	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	7	0
	Total	16	3	5	0	6	1	1	0	28	4
Bangkok United	2013	11	2	1	0	—		—		12	2
	2014	24	1	2	0	0	0	—		25	1
	2015	25	2	1	0	2	1	—		27	3
	2016	25	0	1	0	0	0	—		26	0
	2017	30	0	4	0	0	0	1	0	35	0
	2018	30	0	1	0	0	0	—		31	0
	2019	19	0	2	0	1	0	1	0	23	0
	2020	16	0	4	0	0	0	—		20	0
	Total	180	5	16	0	3	1	2	0	201	6
Career Total		208	8	23	0	9	2	3	0	243	10

International

As of November 12, 2015^[15]

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Thailand	2013	2	0
	Total	2	0

Honors

University of Akron

• NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship (1): 2010

Buriram United

• Thai FA Cup (1): 2012
• Thai League Cup (1): 2012
• Kor Royal Cup (1): 2013