Alex Bono

This article is about the American soccer player. For the Italian singer, see Alex Bono (singer).

Alex Bono

Bono with Toronto FC in 2015
Personal information
Full name	Alexander Nicholas Bono
Date of birth	(1994-04-25) April 25, 1994 (age 30)
Place of birth	Syracuse, New York, United States
Height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) [1]
Position(s)	Goalkeeper
Youth career
2010–2012	Empire United
College career
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2012–2014	Syracuse Orange	59	(0)
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
2013–2014	Reading United	18	(0)
2015–2022	Toronto FC	130	(0)
2015–2016	→ Toronto FC II (loan)	20	(0)
2023–2024	D.C. United	39	(0)
International career‡
2010–2012	United States U18	7	(0)
2018	United States	1	(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of October 19, 2024 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of May 28, 2018

Alexander Nicholas Bono (born April 25, 1994) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper.

College career

Born and raised in Baldwinsville, New York, Bono attended high school at Charles W. Baker High School where he was a two-year starter for the Bees. During the later years of his high school career, Bono opted to commit full-time to U.S. Soccer Development Academy club Empire United. Prior to college, Bono was seen as the top goalkeeper recruit in the state of New York, and the 51st highest prospect of his graduating high school class.

Joining Syracuse University, Bono became the immediate starter for the Syracuse Orange men's soccer program, starting in playing in 20 matches in freshman season, becoming the first true freshman goalkeeper to start a season opener since Robert Cavicchia in 2005. During his freshman year, Bono recorded a career-high eight saves during the 2012 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament against the VCU Rams on November 18, 2012, and equalled that tally on November 25 against the Georgetown Hoyas. ^[2] During his freshman season, Bono was voted to the Big East Conference All-Rookie Team and was named the Orange's Rookie of the Year.

In Bono's sophomore year, he maintained similar statistics as his freshman year and was named to the Atlantic Coast Conference Third Team.

It was his junior year where Bono emerged as a potential professional prospect, as he helped the Orange earn top national rankings, and earn a ninth overall seed in the 2014 NCAA Division I Men's Soccer Tournament. In the tournament, the Orange reached the fourth round before being eliminated by Georgetown. ^[3] Bono was also named a first-team All-American by the NSCAA in 2014. ^[4]

Club career

Toronto FC

On January 15, 2015, Bono was selected 6th overall by Toronto FC in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. He was considered to be the highest prospective goalkeeper in the draft class. ^{[5] [6]}

Bono was loaned to Toronto FC II on March 20, 2015. ^[7] He made his debut against the Charleston Battery on March 21. ^[8]

Due to an injury to regular starter Clint Irwin in July 2016, Bono was selected to be the number one keeper for the first team by coach Greg Vanney; ^[9] he went on to make 16 MLS appearances for the club that year, ^[10] and also started in the second leg of the 2016 Canadian Championship final against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on June 29, which Toronto won on away goals, ^[11] but Irwin later regained the starting spot for the remainder of the regular season and the Playoffs, ^[10] as Toronto went on to reach the 2016 MLS Cup Final, only to be defeated at home by Seattle Sounders FC 5–4 on penalties, following a 0–0 draw after extra time. ^[12]

The following season, however, after another injury to Irwin in the team's home opener in the spring, Bono was once again promoted to the starting line-up, ^[13] and subsequently cemented his place as the team's outright first-choice shot-stopper by September 2017, also establishing himself as one of the best goalkeepers in the league: he broke the club's record for most clean sheets by a goalkeeper in a single season (10), and overall he kept the second highest number of clean sheets in the league season behind Stefan Frei, and won more games than any other MLS goalkeeper that season (19), while he also surpassed Frei's mark for most career MLS wins by a Toronto FC goalkeeper; furthermore, he produced 72 saves and had a 69.2 percent save percentage, averaging 1.12 goals against per game. In the post-season, Bono's performances once again proved to be decisive in his team's Playoff run, as he conceded two goals and made eight saves en route to the MLS Cup Final, keeping clean sheets in both legs of the Eastern Conference Final against Columbus Crew. ^{[10] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19]} On December 9, 2017, he kept a clean sheet in a 2–0 win over Seattle Sounders in the 2017 MLS Cup Final at BMO Field – a rematch of the previous season's final –, which saw Toronto complete an unprecedented treble of the MLS Cup, the Supporters' Shield, and the Canadian Championship. ^{[20] [21]}

After the end of the 2022 season, Bono left the club, upon the expiry of his contract. ^[22]

D.C. United

On December 14, 2022, Bono signed as a free-agent with D.C. United on a one-year deal. ^[23] D.C. United declined his contract option following their 2024 season. ^[24]

International career

On January 9, 2015, Bono was called into a training camp for the United States national team. ^{[25] [26]} He was called up again in March 2018. ^[27] He made his senior debut on May 28, 2018, in a friendly against Bolivia at the Talen Energy Stadium, keeping a clean-sheet in the eventual 3–0 win. Alex Bono was said to be a promising prospect and a potential big impact for U.S. Soccer in the years to come. ^{[28] [29]}

Career statistics

Club

As of match played October 19, 2024 ^{[30] [31]}

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition

Club	Season	League			Playoffs		National cup		Continental [lower-alpha 1]		Total
		Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Toronto FC II	2015	USL	12	0	—		—		—		12	0
	2016		8	0	—		—		—		8	0
	Total		20	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	20	0
Toronto FC	2015	Major League Soccer	0	0	0	0	0	0	—		0	0
	2016		16	0	0	0	1	0	—		17	0
	2017		29	0	5	0	0	0	—		34	0
	2018		27	0	—		0	0	9	0	36	0
	2019		7	0	0	0	4	0	2	0	13	0
	2020		3 [lower-alpha 2]	0	0	0	0	0	—		3	0
	2021		24	0	—		1	0	4	0	29	0
	2022		24	0	—		1	0	—		25	0
	Total		130	0	5	0	7	0	15	0	157	0
D.C. United	2023	Major League Soccer	10	0	—		2	0	3	0	15	0
	2024		29	0	—		—		3	0	32	0
	Total		39	0	0	0	2	0	6	0	47	0
Career total			189	0	5	0	9	0	21	0	224	0

1. Includes CONCACAF Champions League, Campeones Cup and Leagues Cup
2. Includes one appearance in MLS is Back Tournament group stage

International

As of match played May 28, 2018 ^[32]

Appearances and goals by national team and year

National team	Year	Apps	Goals
United States	2018	1	0
Total		1	0

Honors

Toronto FC ^[30]

• MLS Cup: 2017
• Eastern Conference Winners (Playoffs): 2016, 2017, 2019
• Supporters' Shield: 2017
• Canadian Championship: 2016, 2017, 2018, 2020

References

1. "Alex Bono". Major League Soccer. Retrieved May 16, 2023.
2. "Orange Stun #19 VCU, 3-2". Syracuse University Athletics. Cuse.com. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
3. "Rist's Game-Winner Sends Hoyas to Elite 8". GUHoyas.com.
4. "2014 NCAA Division I Men's All-America Teams". Archived from the original on June 21, 2015. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
5. "Toronto FC selects Alex Bono with sixth pick in MLS SuperDraft". Toronto FC. Torontofc.ca. January 15, 2015. Archived from the original on January 16, 2015. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
6. "Former Syracuse and Baldwinsville goalie Alex Bono selected sixth overall in MLS Draft". Syracuse.com. January 15, 2015.
7. "Toronto FC loan seven players to Toronto FC II". March 20, 2015. Archived from the original on June 23, 2015. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
8. Hylton, Kamal (March 21, 2015). "Match Recap: TFC II vs. Charleston". Toronto FC. Archived from the original on September 1, 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
9. James Grossi (July 2, 2016). "Alex Bono takes the reins in net as Toronto deal with Clint Irwin's injury". MLS Soccer. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
10. Laura Armstrong (August 10, 2017). "Alex Bono has grabbed his chance as TFC's keeper". The Toronto Star. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
11. "TFC loses to Whitecaps, but wins Voyageurs Cup". Sportsnet. June 30, 2016. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
12. "Seattle Sounders beat Toronto FC on penalties to win 2016 MLS Cup". ESPN FC. December 10, 2016. Retrieved December 11, 2016.
13. Neil Davidson (April 2, 2017). "Toronto FC goalkeeper Irwin out 4-5 weeks with hamstring injury". CBC Sports. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
14. James Grossi (November 23, 2017). "Alex Bono stepping up for Toronto FC in Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs". Toronto FC. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
15. Chicco Nacion (November 28, 2017). "TFC's Alex Bono unfazed by challenges on and off the pitch". CBC Sports. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
16. Neil Davidson (November 29, 2017). "Toronto FC to host MLS final after 1-0 win over Columbus in eastern final". Global News. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
17. James Grossi (December 4, 2017). "Character, confidence propel TFC's Alex Bono to No. 1 job, MLS Cup start". MLS Soccer. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
18. Laura Armstrong (December 6, 2017). "MLS Cup features two of the league's best goalkeepers". The Toronto Star. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
19. Chicco Nacion (December 9, 2017). "Tale of the tape: Toronto FC seeks redemption in MLS Cup rematch". CBC Sports. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
20. "Recap: Toronto FC vs Seattle Sounders". mlssoccer.com. December 9, 2017. Retrieved December 9, 2017.
21. Laura Armstrong (December 9, 2017). "Toronto FC captures MLS Cup". The Toronto Star. Retrieved December 10, 2017.
22. "Toronto FC Announce Year-End Roster Moves". Toronto FC . October 14, 2022.
23. "DC United sign former Toronto FC goalkeeper Alex Bono | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
24. "D.C. United Announces 2024 End-of-Year Roster Decisions | DC United". dcunited.
25. "Klinsmann Calls 28 Players for First Training Camp of 2015". USSoccer.com.
26. "USMNT Profile: Alex Bono's rise to his first US call-up". NBCSports.com. January 22, 2015.
27. Neil Morris (March 26, 2018). "MLS rivals Alex Bono, Zack Steffen enjoying US national team camp". MLS Soccer. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
28. "Lineup Notes: U.S. MNT vs. Bolivia - International Friendly". US Soccer. May 28, 2018.
29. James Grossi (June 1, 2018). "DREAM FULFILLED: Alex Bono revels in first cap for United States national team". Toronto FC. Retrieved July 31, 2018.
30. Alex Bono at Soccerway
31. "Alex Bono MLS profile". Major League Soccer. Retrieved June 26, 2017.
32. Alex Bono at National-Football-Teams.com

External links

• Alex Bono at Major League Soccer
• Syracuse University bio