Stuart Alistair Holden (born August 1, 1985) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a midfielder, and is currently a lead TV game analyst for Fox Sports.

[6] After retiring, Holden made a quick transition into TV, working as a game analyst and host for Fox Sports.

[12][13] After playing two seasons of college soccer at Clemson University, Holden signed with English club Sunderland in early 2005.

[14] On March 12, Holden was attacked outside a bar in Newcastle because he was a Sunderland player, leaving him with a fractured left eye socket, which prevented him from training with the club for two months.

[20][21] He made his debut on February 24, 2010, in a 4–0 defeat against Tottenham Hotspur in the FA Cup, starting and playing the full ninety minutes.

[24] In the 2010–11 season, Holden helped Bolton reach seventh place in the Premier League and to the FA Cup Semi-finals.

However, his season was cut short on March 19 after he suffered a severe knee injury against Manchester United at Old Trafford when going into a tackle with Jonny Evans.

On September 20, 2011, after six months out, Holden started and played the full ninety minutes against Aston Villa in the third round of the League Cup,[30] but was then initially ruled out for a further six weeks as the club brought forward a routine follow up procedure.

On June 22, 2012, Holden announced via his Twitter account that he was due to switch to the number 22 shirt after it had been vacated by Jussi Jääskeläinen.

[36] However, after making 8 more appearances, it was confirmed that Holden had torn his anterior cruciate ligament in his right leg while playing for the United States in the CONCACAF Gold Cup final against Panama on June 29, 2013.

Holden was capped 11 times as a United States youth international at the U-20 level, scoring two goals, the first being on July 18, 2004, in a 2–2 home draw against Denmark U-20 in the 2004 Milk Cup in Northern Ireland.

After an intensive rehab, Holden proved his fitness by making it back on the field for Bolton Wanderer's final home match of the season.

In May 2013, he made his return, coming on as a substitute during the United States' important match vs Panama in 2014 World Cup Qualifying.

It was later announced that he had torn his anterior cruciate ligament in the right knee and would require surgery, effectively ending his career with the national team.

He made a sharp rise in the TV business and within two years has established himself as Fox's lead color commentator across multiple soccer properties.

[3] He partnered in the booth with John Strong, and the pair traveled throughout Russia calling the tournament's biggest games,[50][51] including the 2018 World Cup Final on July 15, 2018, featuring Croatia and France.

The duo continue to call games as Fox's #1 broadcast team for MLS, USMNT, and 2022 FIFA World Cup matches.

On January 4, 2016, it was announced that an American Group of investors, led by Robert Sarver,[56] purchased a controlling stake in RCD Mallorca for $21 million.

[citation needed] Holden was particularly noted for his adeptness at taking set pieces and delivering crosses, being compared to David Beckham.

[58] It was announced in November 2022 that Stu Holden was joining Lotto / WHP Global as a brand ambassador, entering into a long-term partnership.

[59] Holden stated upon announcement that "Lotto's mission of growing the game at the grassroots level and supporting the next generation of athletes is something that I've been very passionate about throughout my personal life and playing career on and off the field.

There is such great momentum around soccer in the United States, and I'm thrilled to join Lotto as we look to help the sport continue to grow."