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Graham Zusi

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Graham Zusi
Zusi with Sporting Kansas City in 2022
Personal information
Full name Graham Jonathan Zusi[1]
Date of birth (1986-08-18) August 18, 1986 (age 38)[2]
Place of birth Longwood, Florida, United States
Height 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)[3]
Position(s) Winger, right-back
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2008 Maryland Terrapins 89 (28)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005 Central Florida Kraze 10 (1)
2009–2023 Sporting Kansas City[a] 355 (31)
International career
2012–2017 United States 55 (5)
Medal record
Representing  United States
Men's Soccer
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Winner CONCACAF Gold Cup 2017
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 31, 2023

Graham Jonathan Zusi (/ˈzuːsi/; born August 18, 1986) is an American professional soccer player who most recently played as a midfielder or defender for Major League Soccer club Sporting Kansas City. From 2012 to 2023, Zusi represented the United States national team, earning 55 caps and scoring 5 goals.

As of the end of the 2023 season, he is the longest-tenured player to have played with one club in MLS history.[4]

Early life and college

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Born in Longwood, Zusi, alongside his siblings, was first coached by his father, David.[5] He played high school soccer at Lake Brantley High School.[5]

Zusi played college soccer for the Maryland Terrapins of the University of Maryland, College Park. During his college career with the Terrapins, Zusi played in 89 games, recording 28 goals and 20 assists, and helped Maryland win the National Championship in 2005 and 2008, scoring the game-winning goal in the 2008 National Semi-Final and Championship Games. He graduated with a degree in criminology.[6]

Club career

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During his college years Zusi also played with Central Florida Kraze in the USL Premier Development League.[7]

Sporting Kansas City

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Zusi was drafted in the second round (23rd overall) of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by the Kansas City Wizards. He made his professional debut on March 21, 2009, in Kansas City's first game of the 2009 MLS season against Toronto FC.[8]

Zusi enjoyed a breakout season in 2011 helping the renamed Sporting Kansas City franchise to an Eastern Conference championship and earning a call-up to the U.S. national team. His efforts were rewarded by Sporting with a new four-year contract announced on February 16, 2012.[9] In the 2012 season he led the league in assists with 15.

During the 2012–13 offseason, Zusi trialed with English Premier League side West Ham United.[10]

Zusi returned to Sporting Kansas City and became a converted right-back, earning MLS All Star selections in 2016, 2017, and 2018, while helping guide Sporting Kansas City to the 2017 U.S. Open Cup Title.

Zusi re-signed with the club for the 2022 season.[4]

Zusi had his contract option declined by the club on December 1, 2023.[11]

International career

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Zusi with the United States national team in 2013

On January 21, 2012, Zusi made his debut for the United States in a 1–0 win over Venezuela in a friendly match. He scored his first international goal on January 25, 2012, in the ninth minute against Panama in a 1–0 victory. Zusi was named to the national team's Hexagonal roster for the February 6, 2013 match against Honduras; he entered the game as a second-half substitute.

On October 15, 2013, Zusi scored a stoppage-time equalizer against Panama in a World Cup qualifier. Though the United States had already qualified, Zusi's goal meant that Mexico would advance to the next round at Panama's expense. As a result, a group of Mexico fans later presented Zusi with a framed photo and plaque with the words San Zusi ("Saint Zusi").[12]

On June 16, 2014, in the United States' first game in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, Zusi provided the assist from a corner kick for John Brooks' game-winning goal in the 2–1 victory against Ghana.[13] On June 22, 2014, in the United States' second game in the World Cup, Zusi provided the assist for Clint Dempsey's goal in the 2–2 draw against Portugal.[13]

On March 29, 2016, going two years without scoring for the United States, Zusi scored the fourth goal against Guatemala in their campaign to qualify for the 2018 World Cup in Russia.[14] Later that year, Zusi scored a late goal for the United States to put them up 4–0 against Costa Rica during the Copa América Centenario. His goal ensured that the 4–0 win over Costa Rica was the largest against Costa Rica in history for the national team.[15]

Following the failure to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup and Bruce Arena's departure, Zusi was not called into the team by Dave Sarachan and Gregg Berhalter.

Career statistics

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Club

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As of match played November 26, 2023[16][17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Playoffs National cup Continental Other Total
Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Kansas City Wizards 2009 13 0 — 2 0 — — 15 0
2010 19 1 — 1 0 — — 20 1
Sporting Kansas City 2011 32 5 3 0 4 0 — — 39 5
2012 32 5 2 0 5 2 — — 39 7
2013 27 6 5 0 — 3 0 — 35 6
2014 25 5 1 0 — 5 0 — 31 5
2015 25 2 1 0 2 1 — — 27 2
2016 21 2 1 0 1 0 — — 23 2
2017 24 0 1 0 3 0 — — 28 0
2018 34 2 4 0 2 0 — — 40 2
2019 27 0 — 1 0 5 0 — 33 0
2020 15[b] 1 — — — 2[c] 0 17 1
2021 26 0 2 1 — — — 28 1
2022 21 2 — 1 0 — — 22 2
2023 14 0 1 0 1 0 — — 16 0
Career total 355 31 21 1 23 3 13 0 2 0 414 35

International

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Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team Year Apps Goals
United States 2012 6 1
2013 12 2
2014 10 0
2015 4 0
2016 10 2
2017 12 0
Total 55 5
Scores and results list United States' goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Zusi goal.
List of international goals scored by Graham Zusi
No. Date Venue Opponent Score Result Competition
1 January 25, 2012 Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama  Panama 1–0 1–0 Friendly
2 October 11, 2013 Sporting Park, Kansas City, United States  Jamaica 1–0 2–0 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification
3 October 15, 2013 Estadio Rommel Fernández, Panama City, Panama  Panama 2–2 3–2
4 March 29, 2016 MAPFRE Stadium, Columbus, United States  Guatemala 3–0 4–0 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification
5 June 7, 2016 Soldier Field, Chicago, United States  Costa Rica 4–0 4–0 Copa América Centenario

Honors

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Maryland Terrapins

Sporting Kansas City

United States

Individual

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The club was known as the Kansas City Wizards prior to rebranding as Sporting Kansas City in 2011
  2. ^ Includes three appearances and one goal in the MLS is Back Tournament group stage.
  3. ^ Appearances in the MLS is Back Tournament knockout stage.

References

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  1. ^ 2013 Gold Cup official roster. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on January 10, 2015. Retrieved June 19, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "FIFA Tournaments - Players & Coaches - Graham Zusi". FIFA.com. Fédération Internationale de Football Association. Archived from the original on February 20, 2019. Retrieved March 21, 2020.
  3. ^ "Graham Zusi". Sporting Kansas City. Retrieved August 23, 2022.
  4. ^ a b Kovzan, Sam (January 13, 2022). "Sporting KC re-signs seven-time MLS All-Star Graham Zusi". SportingKC.com. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
  5. ^ a b Tenorio, Paul (June 4, 2014). "Graham Zusi's journey to World Cup began in Central Florida". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  6. ^ Nancy Hass (April 16, 2013). "Hey Zeus! Graham Zusi & the pressure of replacing US Soccer's best-ever player | OVERLAP Magazine". MLSsoccer.com. Archived from the original on January 17, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  7. ^ "2005 Central Florida Kraze stats". Uslsoccer.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2012. Retrieved June 24, 2014.
  8. ^ [1] Archived March 25, 2009, at the Wayback Machine
  9. ^ Palmer, Tod. "Sporting signs Zusi to extension". KansasCity.com. Retrieved August 10, 2012.
  10. ^ Bailey, Graeme. "West Ham United have taken American international Graham Zusi on trial". Sky Sports. Retrieved May 10, 2013.
  11. ^ Kovzan, Sam (December 1, 2023). "Sporting KC announces roster moves ahead of 2024 season". SportingKC.com. Retrieved December 1, 2023.
  12. ^ Edwards, Andy. ""Saint" Graham Zusi presented with gifts from fans, radio station for sending Mexico to World Cup playoff". MLSSoccer.com. Archived from the original on October 17, 2013. Retrieved October 17, 2013.
  13. ^ a b McDowell, Sam (June 22, 2014). "'We could taste the second round,' Sporting KC's Matt Besler says of America's World Cup draw with Portugal". The Kansas City Star. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  14. ^ "US back on track in qualifying with 4-0 win over Guatemala". USA Today. March 29, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  15. ^ "US bounces back with 4-0 victory over Costa Rica". USA Today. June 7, 2016. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  16. ^ "Graham Zusi". Sporting Kansas City. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
  17. ^ "Graham Zusi » Club matches". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  18. ^ "U.S. men's national team defeats Jamaica to win CONCACAF Gold Cup". USA Today. July 26, 2017. Retrieved July 5, 2023.
  19. ^ Andrew Wiebe (December 20, 2011). "Zusi named MLS Breakout Player of the Year | Sporting Kansas City". Sportingkc.com. Archived from the original on September 24, 2015. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  20. ^ "2019 MLS All-Star Roster". Major League Soccer. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved July 14, 2019.
  21. ^ "Sporting KC announces 2012 team awards | Sporting Kansas City". Sportingkc.com. October 24, 2012. Archived from the original on February 12, 2013. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  22. ^ "Sporting KC announces 2013 team awards | Sporting Kansas City". Sportingkc.com. October 19, 2013. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved May 4, 2014.
  23. ^ "Major League Soccer Statistics".
  24. ^ "TSG reveals Gold Cup Best XI". goldcup.org. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020. Retrieved July 8, 2019.
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