.jpg) Zimmerman with theUnited States at the2022 FIFA World Cup | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Walker Dwain Zimmerman[1] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Date of birth | (1993-05-19)May 19, 1993 (age 32) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Place of birth | Lawrenceville, Georgia, United States | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.90 m)[2] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Center-back | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Team information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Current team | Nashville SC | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Number | 25 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Youth career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| GSA Phoenix | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| College career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2012 | Furman Paladins | 39 | (11) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Senior career* | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2013–2017 | FC Dallas | 89 | (7) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2018–2019 | Los Angeles FC | 51 | (5) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2020– | Nashville SC | 147 | (13) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International career‡ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2010–2011 | United States U18 | 3 | (0) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2011–2013 | United States U20 | 10 | (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2015–2024 | United States U23 (O.P.) | 8 | (1) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2017– | United States | 46 | (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Managerial career | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 2019 | UCLA Bruins (assistant) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Medal record
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| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of October 18, 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of July 2, 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Walker Dwain Zimmerman (born May 19, 1993) is an American professionalsoccer player who plays as acenter-back forMajor League Soccer clubNashville SC and theUnited States national team.
A native ofLawrenceville,Georgia, Zimmerman played two seasons incollege with theFurman Paladins before signing aGeneration Adidas deal withMajor League Soccer. He was then selected in the2013 MLS SuperDraft byFC Dallas as the 7th overall pick. Initially struggling for playtime due to injuries, Zimmerman established himself as a regular starter in2016. He started in 38 matches as FC Dallas completed the double, winning theSupporters' Shield and theU.S. Open Cup. In December 2017, Zimmerman was traded to expansion sideLos Angeles FC, helping the club win the Supporters' Shield in2019. Zimmerman was also selected for theMLS All-Star team andMLS Best XI. Zimmerman was then traded to another expansion side, Nashville SC, in February 2020. With Nashville, he won back-to-backDefender of the Year awards in2020 and2021.
Zimmerman made his debut for theUnited States in January 2017 againstJamaica. In 2019, he was selected into the squad that finished runners-up in theCONCACAF Gold Cup. He was also a member of the squad that won the tournament in2021, starting all three group stage matches before having to leave the tournament due to a hamstring injury.
Zimmerman came through the youth academy at Gwinnett Soccer Association inLilburn, Georgia, where he was mentored by formerAtlanta Silverbacks andCharleston Battery manager Nuno Piteira. Zimmerman also went toBrookwood High School and played soccer there. He was coached by Daniel Klinect.
Zimmerman playedcollege soccer atFurman University between 2011 and 2012. He was named First Team All-Conference 2011, Southern Conference Freshman of the Year 2011, and National Soccer Coaches Association of America NCAA Division I Men's All-America Second Team in 2012.[3]
FC Dallas selected Zimmerman in the first round (No. 7 overall) of the2013 MLS SuperDraft.[4] He made his professional debut on May 11, 2013, as a late substitute in a 2–1 victory againstD.C. United.
On December 10, 2017, Zimmerman was traded by FC Dallas to new expansion sideLos Angeles FC in exchange for $250,000 in General Allocation Money and $250,000 in Targeted Allocation Money. The two clubs also swapped allocation rankings with FC Dallas moving to #1 and Los Angeles FC moving to #11.[5] During the 2019 season, Zimmerman was also an assistant coach for theUCLA Bruins men's soccer program.
On February 11, 2020, Zimmerman was traded to Major League Soccer expansion clubNashville SC in exchange for up to $1.25 million in General Allocation Money and a 2020 international roster spot.[6]
On February 29, 2020, Zimmerman scored the first goal in Nashville SC history.
On April 29, 2022, Nashville announced they had signed Zimmerman to a contract extension through 2025, and that it would also make him aDesignated Player on their roster.[7] The new contract made Zimmerman only the fourth American defender to be signed to a DP deal in league history.[8]
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On January 6, 2017, Zimmerman was called up for the first time to theUnited States national team by coachBruce Arena.[9] Zimmerman earned his first cap and start againstJamaica in a January Camp friendly on February 3, 2017. He was named player of the match.[10] He scored his first goal (a header) on May 28, 2018, againstBolivia. Zimmerman was called up for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, making appearances in all four matches. During the opening match againstWales, Zimmerman tackledGareth Bale, the Welsh attacker, forpenalty in the 82nd minute. Bale scored the penalty and tied the game. The game ended 1–1. According toESPN, it was "a clumsy and unnecessary challenge".[11]
Zimmerman was born inLawrenceville, Georgia, on May 19, 1993, to Becky and David Zimmerman. He has two older siblings.
Zimmerman is aChristian.[12] Walker is married to Sally Zimmerman. They have one child together.[13]
| Club | Season | League | Playoffs | U.S. Open Cup | Continental | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| FC Dallas | 2013 | MLS | 7 | 2 | — | 2 | 0 | — | — | 9 | 2 | |||
| 2014 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| 2015 | 20 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 24 | 1 | ||||
| 2016 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 37 | 4 | |||
| 2017 | 22 | 1 | — | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | 27 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 89 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | 110 | 8 | |||
| Los Angeles FC | 2018 | MLS | 26 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | 31 | 4 | ||
| 2019 | 25 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 28 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 51 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 0 | — | — | 59 | 5 | ||||
| Nashville SC | 2020 | MLS | 22 | 3 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 25 | 3 | |||
| 2021 | 25 | 3 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 27 | 3 | |||||
| 2022 | 30 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | 34 | 4 | ||||
| 2023 | 24 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | 7 | 2 | 33 | 4 | ||||
| 2024 | 25 | 1 | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 27 | 1 | ||||
| 2025 | 21 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 24 | 1 | ||||
| Total | 147 | 13 | 9 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 170 | 16 | ||
| Career total | 287 | 25 | 18 | 1 | 20 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 339 | 29 | ||
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2017 | 1 | 0 |
| 2018 | 3 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 7 | 1 | |
| 2020 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2021 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2022 | 14 | 1 | |
| 2023 | 5 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2025 | 4 | 0 | |
| Total | 46 | 3 | |
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | May 28, 2018 | Talen Energy Stadium,Chester, United States |  Bolivia | 1–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 2 | January 27, 2019 | State Farm Stadium,Glendale, United States |  Panama | 2–0 | 3–0 | Friendly |
| 3 | February 2, 2022 | Allianz Field,Saint Paul, United States |  Honduras | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
FC Dallas
Los Angeles FC
Nashville SC
United States
Individual
United States squads | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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