 Zusi withSporting 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
| |||||||||||||||||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 31, 2023 | |||||||||||||||||
Graham Jonathan Zusi (/ˈzuːsi/; born August 18, 1986) is an American former professionalsoccer player who most recently played as amidfielder ordefender forMajor League Soccer clubSporting Kansas City. From 2012 to 2023, Zusi represented theUnited States national team, earning 55 caps and scoring 5 goals.
As of the end of the2023 season, he wasthe longest-tenured player to have played with one club in MLS history.[4]
Born inLongwood, Zusi, alongside his siblings, was first coached by his father, David.[5] He played high school soccer atLake Brantley High School.[5]
Zusi playedcollege soccer for theMaryland Terrapins of theUniversity 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]
During his college years Zusi also played withCentral Florida Kraze in theUSL Premier Development League.[7]
Zusi was drafted in the second round (23rd overall) of the2009 MLS SuperDraft by theKansas City Wizards. He made his professional debut on March 21, 2009, in Kansas City's first game of the 2009 MLS season againstToronto FC.[8]
Zusi enjoyed a breakout season in 2011 helping the renamedSporting 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 EnglishPremier League sideWest Ham United.[10]
Zusi returned to Sporting Kansas City and became a converted right-back, earningMLS All Star selections in2016, 2017, and2018, while helping guide Sporting Kansas City to the2017 U.S. Open Cup title.
Zusi re-signed with the club for the2022 season.[4]
Zusi had his contract option declined by the club on December 1, 2023.[11]
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On January 21, 2012, Zusi made his debut for theUnited States in a 1–0 win overVenezuela in afriendly match. He scored his first international goal on January 25, 2012, in the ninth minute againstPanama in a 1–0 victory. Zusi was named to the national team'sHexagonal roster for the February 6, 2013 match againstHonduras; he entered the game as a second-half substitute.
On October 15, 2013, Zusi scored a stoppage-time equalizer againstPanama in aWorld Cup qualifier. Though the United States had already qualified, Zusi's goal meant thatMexico 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 wordsSan Zusi ("Saint Zusi").[12]
On June 16, 2014, in the United States' first game in the2014 FIFA World Cup, Zusi provided the assist from a corner kick forJohn Brooks' game-winning goal in the 2–1 victory againstGhana.[13] On June 22, 2014, in the United States' second game in the World Cup, Zusi provided the assist forClint Dempsey's goal in the 2–2 draw againstPortugal.[13]
On March 29, 2016, going two years without scoring for the United States, Zusi scored the fourth goal againstGuatemala in their campaign toqualify for the2018 World Cup inRussia.[14] Later that year, Zusi scored a late goal for the United States to put them up 4–0 againstCosta Rica during theCopa 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 the2018 FIFA World Cup and Bruce Arena's departure, Zusi was not called into the team by Dave Sarachan and Gregg Berhalter.
| 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 | |
| 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 | |
| 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 |
Maryland Terrapins
Sporting Kansas City
United States
Individual
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)United States squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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