Chris Hegardt

Christopher Hegardt (born January 6, 2002) is an American soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Stabæk. He played in the Seattle Sounders Academy and for reserve side Tacoma Defiance before making his Major League Soccer debut with Charlotte in 2022.

College career
Hegardt played for two seasons with the Georgetown Hoyas, scoring three goals in 31 matches. The Hoyas won the Big East tournament and advanced to the 2021 College Cup semifinals.

Professional career
Hegardt made several appearances for the Tacoma Defiance of the USL Championship while enrolled in the Sounders FC Academy. He was traded in January 2022 to Charlotte FC in exchange for $50,000 of general allocation money. On June 17, 2022, Hegardt made a short-term stay on loan with USL League One side Charlotte Independence. He was released by Charlotte following their 2023 season.

Personal life
In December 2009, Hegardt was hospitalized after a youth soccer match and diagnosed with cancer following the discovery of a ruptured tumor in his liver. He went through six rounds of chemotherapy and received a liver transplant before returning in 2011 to the San Diego Surf, where Hegardt won a national championship. During his hospitalization, Hegardt received a visit and jersey from then-Chivas USA player Sacha Kljestan. The two were reunited 12 years later in Charlotte FC's home debut against the LA Galaxy, where Hegardt played against Kljestan's Galaxy.