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IN THIS ISSUE Editor-In-Chief Robert Casner
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Creative Director/Designer Ty Kreft Assistant Editors Kristi Bruner Alex Caulfield Danny Ciaccio Ryan Krasnoo Kelly Schutz Kyle Sheldon Matt Winter
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2017 SCHEDULE
10
MEET THE TEAM
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THE MAKING OF A SOUNDERS LEGEND
Cover Illustrator Matthew Hollister Contributing Photographers Mike Fiechtner Jane Gershovich Dan Poss Corky Trewin Charis Wilson USA Today Sports Images Moral Support Andrea O'Brien
CLOSER LOOK
The Sounders take part in #KickChildhoodCancer, plus Aaron and Tyler play with pups
32 games down, 2 to play in the MLS regular season
Trick or treat! A few Sounders share their go-to Halloween candy
Ozzie Alonso’s defection from Cuba a decade ago is an incredible story, but that’s just the beginning of his legacy WORDS BY FRANCO PANIZO
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SEATTLE'S SOCCER NOMAD
He was a Sounder. Then he wasn’t. Then he was. Then he wasn’t. Now Lamar Neagle is back home again. WORDS BY ARI LILJENWALL
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Three years after hanging up the boots way earlier than he hoped, Steve Zakuani knows he isn’t a pro soccer player anymore… and he’s totally OK with it.
© 2017 by Major League Soccer, LLC and Seattle Soccer, LLC. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written consent of Seattle Soccer, LLC is prohibited. Seattle Sounders FC 159 South Jackson, Suite 200 Seattle, WA 98104 887-MLS-GOAL SoundersFC.com
LEARNING TO BE HAPPY ONE DAY AT A TIME
WORDS BY STEVE ZAKUANI
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THE ADVENTURES OF JORDAN & CRISTIAN
The gloves have been found! Hint: They weren’t in The Ninety COMIC BY MLS WATERCOLORIST
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SEPTEMBER 19, 2017
Tyler Miller and Aaron Kovar pose with a pupper during the club’s annual event for season ticket members (and their furry friends) at Marymoor Park.
SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
Stefan Frei greets honorary team captain Joshua Fischer in the locker room prior to the match against Vancouver at CenturyLink Field. Fischer has battled leukemia for three years.
CLOSER LOOK
SEPTEMBER 27, 2017
In support of MLS’ league-wide initiative to fund cancer research and efforts, Sounders FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC players enter the pitch with “Kick Childhood Cancer” t-shirts.
2017 SCHEDULE OPPONENT
DAY
DATE
TIME
TV
Houston Dynamo
Sat
March 4
5:30 PM
Q13 Fox
Montreal Impact
Sat
March 11
4:00 PM
JoeTV
New York Red Bulls
Sun
March 19
4:00 PM
FS1
Club Necaxa*
Sat
March 25
7:00 PM
JoeTV
Atlanta United FC
Fri
March 31
7:00 PM
FS1
San Jose Earthquakes
Sat
April 8
7:30 PM
Q13 Fox
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Fri
April 14
7:00 PM
Q13 Fox
LA Galaxy
Sun
April 23
1:00 PM
ESPN
New England Revolution
Sat
April 29
7:00 PM
JoeTV
Toronto FC
Sat
May 6
12:00 PM
ESPN
Chicago Fire
Sat
May 13
6:00 PM
ESPN2
Sporting Kansas City
Wed
May 17
5:30 PM
JoeTV
Real Salt Lake
Sat
May 20
2:00 PM
JoeTV
Portland Timbers
Sat
May 27
12:00 PM
Q13 Fox
Columbus Crew SC
Wed
May 31
4:30 PM
Q13 Fox
Houston Dynamo
Sun
June 4
7:00 PM
JoeTV
New York City FC
Sat
June 17
10:00 AM
ESPN
Orlando City
Wed
June 21
7:30 PM
JoeTV
Portland Timbers
Sun
June 25
1:00 PM
ESPN2
Colorado Rapids
Tue
July 4
6:00 PM
Q13 Fox
Eintracht Frankfurt*
Sat
July 8
12:00 PM
JoeTV
D.C. United
Wed
July 19
7:30 PM
Q13 Fox
San Jose Earthquakes
Sun
July 23
7:30 PM
JoeTV
LA Galaxy
Sat
July 29
7:00 PM
ESPN2
Minnesota United FC
Sat
August 5
5:00 PM
Q13 Fox
Sporting Kansas City
Sat
August 12
1:00 PM
JoeTV
Minnesota United FC
Sun
August 20
7:00 PM
FS1
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Wed
August 23
7:00 PM
JoeTV
Portland Timbers
Sun
August 27
6:30 PM
FS1
LA Galaxy
Sun
September 10
6:00 PM
FS1
FC Dallas
Sat
September 16
5:00 PM
JoeTV
Real Salt Lake
Sat
September 23
6:30 PM
JoeTV
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Wed
September 27
7:30 PM
JoeTV
Philadelphia Union
Sun
October 1
10:00 AM
ESPN
FC Dallas
Sun
October 15
4:30 PM
FS1
Colorado Rapids
Sun
October 22
1:00 PM
JoeTV
HOME MATCH
AWAY MATCH
INTERNATIONAL FRIENDLY
RESULT
RADIO BROADCAST ON 107.7 FM THE END
All matches broadcast LIVE on KIRO Radio 97.3 FM | El Rey 1360AM
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MEET THE TEAM
I love Hershey's Kisses.
12 SEYI ADEKOYA FORWARD
15 TONY ALFARO DEFENDER
6 OSVALDO ALONSO MIDFIELDER
Old-fashioned bourbon.
3 BRAD EVANS DEFENDER
91 ONIEL FISHER DEFENDER
24 STEFAN FREI GOALKEEPER
Twix... actually, anything but candy corn.
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10 NICOLÁS LODEIRO MIDFIELDER
16 CALUM MALLACE MIDFIELDER
14 CHAD MARSHALL DEFENDER
13 JORDAN MORRIS FORWARD
27 LAMAR NEAGLE MIDFIELDER
5 NOUHOU DEFENDER
4 GUSTAV SVENSSON MIDFIELDER
29 ROMÁN TORRES DEFENDER
23 HENRY WINGO MIDFIELDER
Q: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CANDY?
17 WILL BRUIN FORWARD
21 JORDY DELEM DEFENDER
2 CLINT DEMPSEY FORWARD
33 JOEVIN JONES DEFENDER
11 AARON KOVAR MIDFIELDER
18 KELVIN LEERDAM DEFENDER
32 ZACH MATHERS MIDFIELDER
35 BRYAN MEREDITH GOALKEEPER
1 TYLER MILLER GOALKEEPER
8 VÍCTOR RODRÍGUEZ MIDFIELDER
7 CRISTIAN ROLDAN MIDFIELDER
19 HARRY SHIPP MIDFIELDER
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are my favorite.
COACHING STAFF
TOM DUTRA GK COACH BRIAN SCHMETZER HEAD COACH
DJIMI TRAORE ASST. COACH GONZALO PINEDA ASST. COACH
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BY FRANCO PANIZO
It has been a little more than 10 years since the life-changing decision. Osvaldo Alonso made the difficult choice a decade ago of defecting from Cuba to the United States, knowing such a move would mean leaving his family behind, but hoping that it would lead to a better life. All Alonso has done since, as far as his profession goes, is piece together a successful career with the Seattle Sounders that is littered with accomplishments and championships – a career that has made him not only one of the best defensive midfielders in MLS history, but quite possibly the best defensive midfielder in MLS history. Alonso is currently in his ninth season with the Sounders, and continues to be as influential and consistent as ever. The hardnosed veteran has started the majority of the club’s games this season, providing it with his trademark bite, range, energy and uncompromising effort while also adding the occasional offensive contribution. There is no denying that the 31-year-old from San Cristóbal, Cuba, who has one goal and three assists in 2017, has made a name for himself in Seattle with his tenacious attitude and style of play. Still, it is not just his entire body of work that draws admiration from those in the organization and across the league. “It’s an amazing story when you look at how it all happened for him in the beginning and how he came to America and the bravery he showed,” says Sounders Vice President of Soccer & Sporting Director Chris Henderson. “Just the off the field part is an amazing story, and so is what he has been able to
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PHOTO | After defecting from Cuba in late 2007, Ozzie Alonso spent one year with the Charleston Battery of the USL, where he was noticed by Sounders FC’s technical staff. do as a player and get to the level that he is now. I think he has been one of the major contributors for us and almost the heartbeat of our team for all these years.” Alonso’s time in Seattle has been filled with highs, but his road to get there was not easy. Born in baseball-crazed Cuba, Alonso began playing soccer at a young age through his father’s influence. The elder Alonso played soccer in their native land, and instilled an intrinsic love for kicking a ball, rather than swinging at it, in his son. The Sounders’ captain thoroughly enjoyed playing soccer as a kid in his home country, but back then he was not the aggressive and intimidating enforcer that he is today. Instead, he was a wide-eyed attacker who enjoyed getting forward and putting the ball in the back of the net.
HE HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MAJOR CONTRIBUTORS FOR US AND ALMOST THE H E A R T B E AT OF OUR TEAM FOR ALL THESE YEARS. CHRIS HENDERSON
O N A LO N S O ' S I N F LU E N C E W I T H T H E C LU B
“I played forward when I was really young, and then little by little I dropped further on the field,” says Alonso. “I had a moment where I played as a No. 10, and then I came into the Under-20 Cuba national team as a wide midfielder and then when I got into the senior national team I started playing as a No. 6. “[The transition] was difficult at first, because as a player you always like to score goals or always be involved in the plays leading up to goals. But little by little I got accustomed to the position, to what I had to do as a player in that position, and all I did was think about what’s best for my teams, so that’s where I ended up.” Alonso’s full embrace to play in a holding midfielder role allowed him to become a starting player on Cuba’s squad for the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup, which was held, as is customary, in the United States. It is during that tournament when Alonso, who was 21 at the time, made the admittedly difficult decision to defect.
PHOTO | A key figure to the Starting XI since 2009, Alonso holds the club’s all-time record in appearances, starts and minutes in the regular season and postseason. He did so while the team took a trip to Walmart in Houston, Texas, slipping away while his compatriots were distracted shopping. He eventually found his way to Miami, and then after a short time pursued playing professionally again in the United States. Landing with the Charleston Battery in the USL First Division in 2008, Alonso impressed in his debut season. The Sounders were especially intrigued by the young Cuban, as they saw the type of talent and potential that could make him a key part of their plans for years to come. “We played against him in the USL days and knew what a quality player he was,” says Henderson, who back then was preparing Seattle to make the jump into MLS for its
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first season in the top division in 2009. “I think being able to bring him and kind of build the team down the spine was good. We knew we had Alonso coming, we knew we had Fredy Montero and Freddie Ljungberg, so you knew that you could build a very good team leading into the expansion draft with those signings. “We felt that Ozzie was going to be a guy that we could rely upon in the middle of the park, and it ended up playing out that way.” Did it ever. Alonso has been a staple for Seattle since the 2009 MLS campaign, holding club records in minutes, matches played, and starts, He has also achieved plenty both on individual and collective fronts, including winning six significant pieces of hardware, being named to four MLS All-Star teams and making the cut for the league’s Best XI once.
THE BEST MOMENTS I'VE HAD ARE WHEN I'VE WON TROPHIES BECAUSE THEY ARE MOMENTS OF HAPPINESS AND A REWARD FOR ALL THE SACRIFICE. OSVALDO ALONSO
ON HIS BEST MOMENTS AS A P R O F E S S I O N A L I N S E AT T L E
PHOTO | In December 2016, Alonso hoists his sixth trophy he’s earned with the team, but the first MLS Cup. The career Alonso has carved out would be considered successful if it were to end today, but there is still plenty of tread left on his tires and more that he wants to achieve. Namely, lifting more pieces of silverware. “I think the best moments I’ve had in my career are when I’ve won trophies,” says Alonso. “Those are the moments that are most important to me in my career, because they are moments of happiness and a reward for all the sacrifice done in a season or tournament. To finish a competition with a trophy – winning the U.S. Open Cup, winning the Supporters’ Shield, winning MLS Cup – those are the best moments I’ve experienced as a professional here in Seattle.” If there was one moment Alonso enjoyed more than most, however, it was helping the Sounders claim their first MLS Cup last year. Seattle hoisted the trophy on a bitterly cold December night in Canada, defeating Toronto FC on penalty kicks after playing to a scoreless draw. Alonso went the distance in that match and helped prevent his side from falling behind by limiting the attacking prowess of players like Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore. While that was impressive all on its own, making it even more so was the fact that Alonso battled a left knee injury picked up just a couple weeks prior. In fact, he required eight painkiller injections – four before kickoff and four at halftime – just to fight through the discomfort and make it to the finish line in the final. “It took him almost two months to recover after that game, to give you more of an idea of how tough he was playing through what he got,” says Sounders General Manager & President of Soccer Garth Lagerwey. “The most famous injury during the playoffs is
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probably Bill Russell with the Celtics, and you could argue Ozzie is the MLS version of that by suiting up and saying, ‘I’m going to play no matter what.’ “To be clear, he was influential in the final. Not just hobbling around and getting through, but being part of a group that keeps a shutout for 120 minutes under some pretty significant pressure and wins our first championship. Ozzie will probably be in the Sounders’ memory forever.” Alonso is also likely to be in MLS’s history forever. His illustrious career in Seattle has seen him win that MLS Cup in 2016, one Supporters’ Shield, and four U.S. Open Cups. His achievements, level of play, longevity, and consistency rank him up there with the very best defensive midfielders the league has had all-time, including Chris Armas, Kyle Beckerman, Shalrie Joseph and Pablo Mastroeni. While Alonso does not care too much about whether he ends up being considered the greatest of all time at his position in MLS, his case will continue to grow the more trophies he adds to his resume. Given that he has no plans to retire any time soon and still has a burning desire to win, he stands a good shot at that. Even if he does not prevail in another championship game, the Seattle mainstay has already achieved more than most could have thought when he came onto the MLS scene a decade ago. He has probably also fulfilled his own individual goals. “I want people to remember me as someone that gave their best every time they were on the field, that fought hard,” says Alonso. “I want people to remember me as someone that came to the United States from a country that wasn’t a soccerdriven country and with sacrifice and effort accomplished what he wanted: play soccer, make his name known and give it his all. “I hope to be an example for lots of kids and lots of people throughout the world, be it in
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I WANT PEOPLE TO REMEMBER ME AS SOMEONE WHO GAVE THEIR BEST EVERY TIME THEY WERE ON THE F I E L D , T H AT FOUGHT HARD. OSVALDO ALONSO O N H OW H E H O P E S TO B E R E M E M B E R E D
Cuba, the United States, wherever. That when they hear my name they remember a person that started from nothing and made it and accomplished a lot of things in this country.” There are still a few more chapters to be written before Alonso hangs up his cleats, but there is no denying that his time in the United States has been fruitful. After all, he has plenty of memorable performances, a half-dozen championships and a successful career with the Sounders to prove it. “In MLS, the first 20 years of the league, he will be a player that’s talked about,” says Henderson. “When you talk about important players that help teams win, he’s one of the names you have to mention. He’ll definitely have a legacy in MLS and his name will be talked about for years to come.” PHOTO | Since Brian Schmetzer took over managerial duties in July 2016, Alonso has donned the captain’s armband.
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LAMAR NEAGLE HAS
GOTTEN USED TO MOVING AROUND. Neagle’s journey through the vast and unpredictable world of professional soccer began back in the not-so-glamorous world of the second-tier United Soccer League back in 2010, when he played for the Charleston Battery after being waived from the Sounders the previous November. Since then, the game has taken him all over the wide world of Major League Soccer, too, where he was recently reacquired, again, by his hometown Seattle Sounders and has also played for the Montreal Impact and D.C. United.
It’s even taken him to the Veikkausliiga – Finland’s top flight – where he briefly played for a little-known club called IFK Mariehamn, scoring twice in five appearances. All this is to say, Neagle’s career hasn’t offered him much in terms of stability. On one level, though, he says that’s kind of the way he likes it. “Some people might enjoy stability but I think ever since college, jumping into different random things has been the thing that I’ve enjoyed,” Neagle tells me after a recent Sounders training session at Starfire Soccer Complex in Tukwila. “My wife [Natalie] has enjoyed it too. But I think I’ve definitely grown from living in different places and different areas and being on my own.” The fact that Neagle has played for a lot of different teams isn’t exactly unique in and of itself. The lifestyle of a pro athlete can be notoriously nomadic. Unless you’re the type of superstar that franchises deem untouchable, being ready to pack your bags, start over and prove yourself in a new environment is just a part of the deal. “It’s what I’ve had to do my whole life,” Neagle says. “I’ve been in and out of starting lineups, I’ve had to fight for positions in the 18,
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minutes on the field. I wasn’t really recruited for college, I wasn’t invited to the combines. Everything that I’ve got [in soccer] was through fighting and putting in the work and believing in myself.” But Neagle can also lay claim to something that no other player in the history of MLS can. When the Sounders brought him back after an August trade with D.C. United, it marked his fourth different stint back with the club – a distinction that you’d be hard-pressed to find an equivalent to in any sport. The closest comparison that comes to mind would probably be former Major League Baseball star Rickey Henderson, who played for the Oakland Athletics four different times in a professional career that spanned from 1979-2003. But Neagle’s come-and-go relationship with the Sounders is also unique on a different level when you consider that Seattle is quite literally his hometown club. Neagle hails from Federal Way, Washington – about a half-hour south of Seattle. It was there where he first honed his skills playing with the local youth clubs and select teams, then as a star player at Thomas Jefferson High School in Auburn. Neagle’s coach at Thomas Jefferson was Darren Sawatzky, a longtime professional player in his own right and the current head coach of the Tacoma-based Sounders U-23 squad and the Tacoma Stars professional indoor club. Sawatzky has seen Neagle from the beginning and the two remain close family friends. To hear Sawatzky tell it, the mentality that helped vault Neagle to the professional ranks was cultivated in what locals affectionately refer to as the 2-5-3 – a reference to Federal Way’s area code. “Federal Way is a great place, but it’s a little bit harder,” Sawatzky says. “In Federal Way, if you can’t handle yourself, you’re going to get run over. Most guys and girls that made it out and made it as pro athletes, they may have been through some tough circumstances.” While Neagle was always one of the better players on his club teams and at Thomas Jefferson, the prospect of him playing college soccer – let alone making a run at
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a professional career – was never a foregone conclusion. It wasn’t until his senior year that he really established himself as the team’s standout, an ascent that took place after Sawatzky says he kicked a pair of his star players off the team that were talented but couldn’t keep their heads on straight off the field. “It was like addition by subtraction,” Sawatzky recalls. “Lamar stepped up and ended up scoring [a school record] six goals in the next game. He tore it up and became the MVP. He was invaluable. He was a man among boys.” That senior year culminated in a 16-2-4 record and State 4A championship in which Neagle converted the game-winning penalty kick. “That was like his moment,” Sawatzky said. “It was prom night, the night of the state championship, and all of the girls at the high school showed up to the game in their prom dresses.
HE HAS A
STRONG MENTALITY
THAT ALLOWS HIM TO BOUNCE BACK. FORMER SOUNDERS GOALKEEPER , JOSH FORD, ON NEAGLE S MINDSET
“So, if you can imagine like 300 girls out in the stands with prom dresses on with their dates during the state final and Lamar Neagle steps up to take the game-winning penalty kick and win the championship, it was like this defining moment for him.” Even so, Neagle didn’t find himself on the radar of many Division I programs. He talked to Seattle University coach Pete Fewing about walking on there, but there wasn’t a spot for him. He even considered enrolling at Seattle U as a student and not playing college soccer before he was offered a chance to walk on at UNLV, where he would eventually score 27 goals in 73 appearances. He made the Sounders after a preseason trial in 2009, but didn’t make an appearance in league play that year – something that Sawatzky says, in part, can be attributed to an ill-advised experiment to try him out at left back. Neagle went to Charleston in 2010 and, in Sawatzky’s words, “proved that he’s a forward,” scoring 12 goals in 19 appearances. “Lamar handled that better than I think a lot of us would have,” Sawatzky said. “For what he’s been put through, he’s as mature a pro athlete as I’ve seen anywhere. He never complained about where he’s playing. When he got moved to Montreal or DC or whatever, he just packed his bag up and handled his business.”
PHOTO // Neagle has been a journeyman in MLS, but he is a native of Federal Way, WA, about 25 miles from Seattle. Neagle is 30 now and he recognizes that he’s closer to the end of his playing days than he is to the beginning. It’s part of the reason why both he and the Sounders felt like this fourth homecoming – to a place where he’s comfortable and has established roots – was a perfect situation as Seattle looks to defend its first-ever MLS Cup title. Talk to anyone that knows Neagle and they’ll almost undoubtedly tell you that he’s uncannily even-keeled. Former Sounders reserve goalkeeper Josh Ford was one of Neagle’s best friends on the team when they played together in Seattle, first in 2011 and again in 2013-14. Ford cited quality in particular as something that’s allowed Neagle to maintain perspective, even given the unpredictable trajectory his career has ended up taking. “I think he has a great support system with his family and friends and everybody out here, so it makes it easier to back into those situations,” Ford said. “When you see a guy go away and he comes back and he has that support, he has the support from the club and his family and friends, that allows for him to be level-headed, to be calm regardless if he leaves or comes back, he knows he’ll be fine.
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00
“That’s kind of always been his mentality, he has a strong mentality that allows him to bounce back from certain things that maybe other people wouldn’t.” Make no mistake, though, Neagle isn’t back on the Sounders as a symbolic gesture. While his raw athleticism may not be what it was in his early 20s, he still has a nose for goal that make him a lethal and potentially gamechanging option off the bench. He showed what he still brings to the table in just his third game back with Seattle against the LA Galaxy at CenturyLink Field on Sept. 10, when he entered the game as an 83rd minute substitute and the Sounders trailing 1-0. He then promptly scored a dramatic equalizing goal just two minutes later with a laser finish off a cross from teammate Román Torres.
PHOTO // After being traded back to Seattle this summer, Neagle has now had an unprecedented four stints with the Sounders. going to come back a fourth time. So, it’s just something that’s a little surreal. It’s hard to explain.” As usual, the future offers little by way of guarantees. Neagle will be eligible for MLS free agency at the end of this season and, at this point, there’s simply no way to tell if he’ll figure into Seattle’s future plans. If he had his way, his latest homecoming will be his last. If not? He’s prepared for that, as well. Regardless of how it plays out, Neagle says he’ll be ready. And when it’s all said and done, he’ll come back to where it all started.
It was just like old times, really, with the goal sending the CenturyLink Field crowd into bedlam and chants of 2-5-3 raining down on the field after the ball hit the back of the net.
“Since I’m the one going through it I can’t really express what the feeling is like,” Neagle said. “It’s a little interesting going to the same club where each time it seems like it’s a different situation.
“A lot of kids grow up dreaming of that and I’ve been lucky enough to do it in my hometown in four stints now,” Neagle said. “I still get chills, you know, after leaving the last time and thinking that I wouldn’t ever play in Seattle again. You never think you’re
“Obviously I’d like to stay here. But if my career takes me somewhere else, my family’s ready for another adventure, too. Eventually we’ll be back here. I’m not going to be playing for much longer, so I may as well enjoy it while I can, you know?”
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I used to say London was my home, but now the answer isn’t so clear. I was born in the Congo and lived there for four years. I can’t run away from the reality that my family and my background are shaped from it. My memories from school and football, the music I listen to, my slang, my accent – that’s all London. I spent most of my life in London. But my two years of college in Ohio were the two most important years of my life. Now Seattle is home. When I go anywhere – even the places I used to live – I know where I am coming back to. Originally, Seattle was just the place where my team was located. Nearly a decade later, it is where I find the most peace, purpose and comfort. The moment I arrived in Seattle, I could sense the excitement from the fans and the organization. When I met Adrian Hanauer, Sigi Schmid and Brian Schmetzer, I knew this place was special. I worked for several years to get to this point – my only career goal was to play professional football. When I arrived at Akron, I was so disciplined
PHOTO | Steve Zakuani and Fredy Montero were a menacing duo in the early years of the club’s existence in MLS.
because I had to go pro. Being immersed in a college environment helped shape my worldview and the way I think. I began to really enjoy my classes. From there, I realized I desired to do many things in my life, but first I had to experience what it was like to be a professional football player. During my rookie season in 2009, I lived in South Lake Union without a car. My teammate and good friend James Riley would pick me up and take me to and from training. One day, instead of driving home, he drove us to the Renton/Skyway Boys & Girls Club. I said, “Oh, this is an appearance.” He said, “No, I am just doing this.” Until this point, I had only associated giving back to the community with mandatory paid appearances, but this was on his own time. I started joining him every week and
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built a connection with the kids. I was also beginning to realize the platform I had in Seattle and how much people embraced me. As I settled into my role on the pitch, I envisioned ways I could help the community. In 2010, I founded my non-profit organization, Kingdom Hope. The idea had floated around my head for several years, but I stuck with it and my goal then became scholarships. I achieved my goals through education and football, so I wanted to give today’s youth the same opportunity. After two promising seasons, both individually and as a team, we were ready to break out in 2011. Although we were still young, we were very confident after winning two U.S. Open Cups and making the playoffs both years. Unfortunately, my career took a dramatic turn when I broke my leg during a match in April. It was devastating. Without getting into too much detail, I can say the support and love I felt from our fans helped me get through it. 500 days after the horrific injury, I made my return for the Sounders at CenturyLink Field. It was a moment I
PHOTO | Zakuani celebrates the club’s second consecutive Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy in October 2010.
I ACHIEVED MY GOALS THROUGH EDUCATION AND FOOTBALL, SO I WANTED , TO GIVE TODAY S YOUTH THE SAME OPPORTUNITY. 35
I HAVE BEEN BLESSED TO MAKE SOME INCREDIBLE CONNECTIONS THROUGH THE GAME I LOVE. will never forget. I played for a couple more seasons, but I was unable to get back to the same form I had before the setback. At the age of 26, I was a retired pro footballer. I have been blessed to make some incredible connections through the game I love. As a boy in London, David Beckham was revered second only to the Queen of England. Yet, when he was with the LA Galaxy, we traded jerseys and he told me he respected me. It meant the world. Two other huge names – Thierry Henry, who I admired at Arsenal while I was in their youth system, and Landon Donovan, also retired in 2014. They retired in their 30’s and by their choice after accomplishing great things, but my situation was different. I spoke with both of them and they shared the same sentiment... there was a fear of what was going to happen next. All we had ever known was looking ahead to the next training session, the next match. I very quickly lost attachment to Steve Zakuani: The Footballer. The further I get away from my career, the more I look back on it, but I no longer dwell on what could have been. I am astonished at what we did for those two and a half years. I was 21/22 and Fredy Montero was 22/23, and we had nearly 40 goals between us. That’s crazy – we were so young and unproven, but what we did was exceptional. Now, I think it helps off the field, knowing I was
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successful during my time on the field. Earlier this season, I was mingling with fans at a Sounders match and a kid came down and asked if I could get Jordan Morris to come out of the locker room. It was hilarious, he had no idea who I was because he never saw me play. That’s totally fine. You can know me as a broadcaster and I will try to be as good at this as I was at playing. As long as I am connected to the Sounders somehow, it’s fine with me. I love this team. I am happy to represent the team in any way I can. Adrian has always done right by me – I have so much respect for him, I think he is the best owner in sports. He always helped me and supported me. From the owner to my relationship with the fans, I am too ingrained in this community to leave it at this point. I am going to invest in this city as much as I can. For as much as I give, the community always gives back. When my time is done here, I will know. That time hasn’t come yet. Kingdom Hope has been a few different things since its inception. It’s now very simple – raise money for scholarships. Our focus is to provide scholarships for youth in Washington to play football, while giving education scholarships to kids from my native Congo and its neighboring countries. One of our scholarship recipients, Eric, came to the U.S. for college from Congo and is now an engineer in Portland. It’s very amazing to me. Our current goal is called Project50. Over the next five years, we want to give out 50 scholarships. I can’t wait to see it happen. I am learning to be happy one day at a time. I knew that when I retired, the void would be there. Can I be fulfilled in life? I had to stop playing the game I loved at 26 because of injuries. I could be depressed or upset, or I could be happy. I knew happiness would be a journey. Three years on, I can say I am happy. I can say I am home.
PHOTO | Three years on from his playing career, Zakuani now shines as a broadcaster for Sounders matches on local television.
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For more information, visit SoundersFC.com/Posters
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Make URBANE part of your game day ritual. Featuring sustainable and farm-to-table fresh ingredients found locally in the Pacific Northwest, Urbane is the perfect location for pre and post match gatherings. Offering easy access to the Link Light Rail, join us for our daily happy hour specials. Urbane is located in Hyatt at Olive 8, the official hotel of Seattle Sounders FC and the only dual LEED and Green Seal certified hotel in town. Happy Hour 4p – 6:30p (daily) 1639 8th Ave (at Olive) 206.676.4600 urbaneseattle.com
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MILK ISN’ T ORANGE. SO WHY IS YOUR C HEESE?
NATURALLY
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Cheddar.
SCOUTING
REPORT
Steve Zakuani breaks down the upcoming Sounders FC matchup with the Quest Diagnostics Scouting Report Watch the latest episode on SOUNDERSFC.COM
The Scouting Report is presented by Quest Diagnostics, good health starts with knowing.