Bio

Gyasi A. Zardes (born September 2, 1991) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a forward for Austin FC of Major League Soccer and the United States national team. Born in Hawthorne, California, Zardes was part of the LA Galaxy youth academy before playing college soccer for Cal State Bakersfield. After playing three seasons with the Roadrunners, Zardes signed for the LA Galaxy as a homegrown player. In his first season, he immediately established himself as a regular in Bruce Arena's squad, and the next season he scored 16 goals as he helped the Galaxy win MLS Cup 2014. His performance for the Galaxy in 2014 helped earn Zardes his debut for the United States against Chile in January 2015. Prior to the 2018 season, Zardes was traded to the Columbus Crew. He was an immediate starter for head coach Gregg Berhalter as he scored 19 goals in his first season with the Crew. Zardes would be named the MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award for 2018. In 2020, Zardes helped lead the Columbus Crew to their second MLS Cup, defeating the Seattle Sounders in the final.