HARTFORD, Conn. – Bringing USL Championship Player of the Year honors, an All-League First Team recognition, a Golden Boot award, and more than nine years of professional experience, Hartford is excited to welcome Hadji Barry to the squad, pending league and federation approval.
“We are all very happy to welcome Hadji to Hartford.” said General Manager and Head Coach Brendan Burke. “I have nothing but fond memories of our time together in Colorado. We are getting a top professional, a proven goal scorer, unselfish attacking player and a good leader all in one with this move. Our staff and players are all excited to get Hadji on the field in the coming weeks and months and our fans should be just as excited.”
The Conakry, Guinea native is known for his blistering pace and lethal finishing abilities, and he will add another dangerous attacking threat to Athletic’s front three. Barry has netted 79 goals over 151 appearances in the USL Championship and is currently ranked seventh in the league for Best Strike-Rate with 157.7 minutes per goal among players with at least 50 goals.
He has also added 24 assists over his time in the league, demonstrating that the 32-year-old center forward can effectively create dangerous scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Barry was first drafted by Orlando City SC in 2016 after playing collegiate soccer at the University of Central Florida. After his first season with the club, he was recognized as Orlando City Rookie of the Year.
Barry went on to play in the USL Championship for Sporting KC II, where he earned his first USL Championship All-League selection in 2018, Ottawa Fury FC, and North Carolina FC before signing with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC in 2021, where he would have a standout season. Over 33 appearances, Barry scored 25 goals, equaling what was at the time the single-season scoring record in the USL Championship regular season.
He also added five assists and 49 chances created, making him one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league. Barry led the Switchbacks to their first postseason appearance since 2016, after finishing third in the Western Conference.
This performance earned Barry a USL Championship All-League First Team honor, along with being named USL Championship Player of the Year. His scoring proficiency also earned him the Golden Boot Award, given to the player with the most regular-season goals.
The 2022 season saw another solid year from Barry, with 16 goals, nine assists, and 54 chances created in 30 appearances. As a captain, he led the team to nine wins in their first 10 regular-season games.
During this season, Barry became the Switchbacks’ All-Time Leading Goalscorer, at the time, and was named the club’s Most Valuable Player for the year. He was also nominated for Player of the Year for a second consecutive season and was voted to the USL Championship All-League Team for a third time.
Just before the end of the 2022 season, Barry was transferred to Future FC, an Egyptian Premier League club, for what was then the largest transfer fee in the league’s history.
Barry will be welcomed to Hartford Athletic by some pretty familiar faces, as he played under Head Coach Brendan Burke in both seasons with the Colorado Switchbacks. He also shared the field with Michee Ngalina, Beverly Makangila, and Sebastian Anderson for both seasons, while playing alongside Deshane Beckford for one.
