Eriq Zavaleta

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Eriq Zavaleta
Eriq Zavaleta UofM Mens Soccer (6272263273).jpg
Zavaleta playing for Indiana Hoosiers in 2011
Personal information
Full name Eriq Anthony Zavaleta [1]
Date of birth (1992-08-02) August 2, 1992 (age 32)
Place of birth Westfield, Indiana, U.S. [2]
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in) [2]
Position(s) Defender
Team information
Current team
LA Galaxy
Number 15
Youth career
2008–2009 IMG Soccer Academy
2009–2010 FC Pride
2010–2011 Real Salt Lake
2011 Chivas USA
2011 Columbus Crew
College career
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2011–2012 Indiana Hoosiers 46 (28)
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2013–2014 Seattle Sounders FC 5 (0)
2013San Antonio Scorpions (loan) 4 (1)
2014Chivas USA (loan) 17 (0)
2015–2021 Toronto FC 118 (2)
2016Toronto FC II (loan) 2 (0)
2019Toronto FC II (loan) 1 (0)
2022– LA Galaxy 20 (3)
International career
2008–2009 United States U17 23 (0)
2021– El Salvador 27 (3)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of May 5, 2024
‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of September 10, 2023

Eriq Anthony Zavaleta (born August 2, 1992) is a professional footballer who plays as a center-back for Major League Soccer club LA Galaxy. Born in the United States, he plays for the El Salvador national team.

Contents

Youth and college

Zavaleta played his freshman and senior seasons of high school soccer at Westfield High School in Westfield, Indiana. He scored 25 goals and nine assists as a freshman and twenty goals and ten assists as a senior. He also spent his youth career with FC Pride, Real Salt Lake, and Chivas USA, and was also part of Columbus Crew's USL Super-20 championship team in 2011.

On February 7, 2011, Zavaleta signed a letter of intent to play college soccer at Indiana University. [3] In his freshman year with the Hoosiers in 2011, Zavaleta started 22 games and led the team with ten goals and five assists and was also the team leader in points with 25. He went on to be named College Soccer News All-Freshman first team, NSCAA All-Great Lakes Region first team selection, Soccer America All-Freshman first team and Chicagoland Soccer News Player of the Year.

In his sophomore year, Zavaleta started all 24 matches and again was the team leader with 40 points, with 18 goals and four assists. He led the team to their eighth national title. One of the four assists came in the 2012 College Cup final against no. 3 Georgetown, when he set up teammate Nikita Kotlov for what turned out to be the title-clinching goal. [4] He went on to be named Big Ten All-Tournament team, NSCAA third-team All-American, College Soccer News first-team All-American and the College Cup All-Tournament team. At Indiana University he was a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Club career

Seattle Sounders FC

On January 5, 2013, it was announced by agent Ron Waxman that Zavaleta had signed a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer, making him eligible for the 2013 MLS SuperDraft. [5] [6] On January 17, Zavaleta was selected 10th overall by Seattle Sounders FC and immediately added to the roster. [7] [8] He made his professional debut on March 23, 2013, in a 1–0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes. [9]

Chivas USA

On February 28, 2014, Chivas USA announced that they had added Zavaleta to their roster on loan from Seattle Sounders FC for one year. [10] In 2014, he replaced Bobby Burling as the center back was out of play after he underwent a knee surgery. [11]

Toronto FC

On January 26, 2015, Toronto FC announced that they had traded their 2016 MLS SuperDraft second-round pick to Seattle for Zavaleta. [12]

On September 5, 2015, Zavaleta scored his first goal for Toronto in a 2–1 loss against his former club, the Seattle Sounders. [13] In 2016, he was briefly loaned to Toronto FC II. [14]

On February 23, 2021, Zavaleta re-signed with Toronto FC. [15] At the end of the season, his contract option was declined. [16]

LA Galaxy

On March 10, 2022, Zavaleta signed a one-year deal with LA Galaxy. [17] He made his debut on April 19, 2022, against the San Diego Loyal SC in the U.S. Open Cup. He later made his MLS debut against Real Salt Lake on April 30, 2022. In February 2023, the Galaxy announced Zavaleta had signed a new two-year deal to remain with the club. [18]

International career

Zavaleta was part of the U.S. Soccer Residency program in 2008–09 and made 23 appearances for the United States U-17 national team during that stretch, including three appearances in the 2009 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Zavaleta mostly played as a defender with the under-17s.

He is eligible to play for both the United States national team and El Salvador. [6]

In April 2021, it was reported that Zavaleta had gained clearance from FIFA to represent El Salvador. [19] [20] The next month on May 26, Zavaleta was called up to El Salvador ahead of their 2022 FIFA world Cup qualification matches. [21] He debuted for El Salvador in a 7–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification win over United States Virgin Islands on June 5, 2021. [22] He scored his first goal in a 3–0 2022 World Cup qualifier win over Antigua and Barbuda on June 8, 2021. [23] In his third match on June 16, he was given the captain's armband to wear, after the team's captain was substituted out. [24]

Personal life

Zavaleta is the son of Carlos and Kristi Zavaleta. He has one sister, Alexa and one brother, Casey. His father played professionally in the United States and was also a member of the El Salvador national team. He is also the nephew of former MLS and U.S. national team defender, and his current coach at LA Galaxy and former coach at Toronto FC, Greg Vanney. [6] [8]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played August 8, 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeaguePlayoffs [a] National cup [b] Continental [c] Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Seattle Sounders FC 2013 [25] MLS 50000050
2014 [25] MLS00000000
Total50000050
San Antonio Scorpions (loan) 2013 [25] NASL 4141
Chivas USA (loan) 2014 [25] MLS17010180
Toronto FC 2015 [25] MLS1811020211
2016 [25] MLS1506040250
2017 [25] MLS2914030361
2018 [25] MLS2103070310
2019 [25] MLS160002000180
2020 [25] MLS5 [d] 0000050
2021 [25] MLS1400020160
Total1182110140901522
Toronto FC II (loan) 2016 [25] USL 2020
2019 [25] USL League One 1010
Total3030
LA Galaxy 2022 [25] MLS40002060
2023 [25] MLS1121000122
2024 [25] MLS51002071
Total203003020253
Career total16761101801102056
  1. Includes MLS Cup Playoff matches
  2. Includes U.S. Open Cup and Canadian Championship matches
  3. Includes CONCACAF Champions League, Campeones Cup and Leagues Cup matches
  4. Includes one appearance in MLS is Back Tournament group stage

International

As of match played September 10, 2023 [26]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
El Salvador 2021131
202261
202381
Total273

International goals

Scores and results list El Salvador's goal tally first. [26]
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
1.June 8, 2021 Estadio Cuscatlán, San Salvador, El SalvadorFlag of Antigua and Barbuda.svg  Antigua and Barbuda 1–03–0 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
2.March 24, 2022 Independence Park, Kingston, JamaicaFlag of Jamaica.svg  Jamaica 1–01–1 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification
3.September 10, 2023 Estadio Jorge "El Mágico" González, San Salvador, El SalvadorFlag of Trinidad and Tobago.svg  Trinidad and Tobago 1–02–3 2023–24 CONCACAF Nations League A

Honors

Toronto FC

LA Galaxy

Indiana University

Individual

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References

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  4. "Indiana Wins Eighth National Title with 1-0 Win Over Georgetown". IU Athletics. Indiana University. December 9, 2012. Archived from the original on March 28, 2013. Retrieved March 24, 2013.
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  18. "LA Galaxy Re-Sign El Salvador International Defender Eriq Zavaleta". February 7, 2023.
  19. Malek, Julian (April 29, 2021). "Eriq Zavaleta es autorizado por FIFA para jugar con la Selección de El Salvador" [Eriq Zavaleta is authorized by FIFA to play for the El Salvador National Team]. Futbol Centro America (in Spanish).
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