Chester, PA – The Philadelphia Union and goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon agreed to part ways on Monday, allowing the Colombian to return to his native country to play for Deportivo Cali.
Mondragon began his professional career with Cali in 1990 at the age of 21 before moving on to play in Europe with a host of teams, including Real Zaragoza, FC Metz and Galatasaray.
"It has been an absolute honor and a privilege to be part of the Union family," said Mondragon. "My time in Philadelphia has proven to be unforgettable, and I am tremendously proud of having led the team for what proved to be a successful 2011. We achieved most of our goals and continued the club's growth into becoming the best club in MLS. For family reasons, I have requested the club to allow me the opportunity to finish my career where it started."
The 40-year-old Mondragon joined the Union from German side Cologne last January. And after taking over as captain, started 27 games in goal and recorded seven clean sheets.
Mondragon was named to the 2011 MLS All-Star team and finished second in the voting for the 2011 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award behind Seattle's Kasey Keller.
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