Who Is Zavier Gozo? USMNT’s Next Great Hope Taking on the Premier League

It all started because Zavier Gozo just wanted to be like his older brother, playing youth soccer for the nearby Real Salt Lake.

“I was just trying to follow in his footsteps,” the star winger out of West Valley City, Utah tells Sports Illustrated last month. “All I wanted to do was play for the academy.”

Fast forward just five years, and the 19-year-old local kid has already been named a Major League Soccer All-Star, and he’s now in Europe, set to play for Crystal Palace of the English Premier League, club soccer’s grandest stage. He’s even at the heart of conversations regarding the U.S. men’s national team and what the roster might look like come the 2030 FIFA World Cup.

The teenage prodigy could have never imagined the speed with which his blossoming career has taken off.

“I think it even happened a little bit too fast for me sometimes to even think about and appreciate,” he adds frankly. “ ... Life moves so fast. You play well for a couple of games, and you’re an All-Star. It came faster than I thought and faster than a lot of people thought. It’s been a great journey.”

Zavier Gozo made a name for himself at Real Salt Lake. | Meagan Johnson/Real Salt Lake/MLS/Getty Images

Of course, as soon as Gozo stepped foot into Real Salt Lake’s facilities at just 14 years old, his heart became set on playing for the first team, a dream in every young middle schooler’s mind upon joining the academy.

It didn’t take him long to get the opportunity to prove his worth. The winger made his MLS debut in October 2023 at just 16 years old, coming off the bench in a 2–2 draw with LA Galaxy.

“I didn’t even know if I was traveling yet, then [manager] Pablo [Mastroeni] told me,” Gozo says. “I was just so nervous. I was like, ‘There’s no way I’m getting into the game. Then when I was actually there, when they told us we were coming on, my mind went blank at that point.

“I was just taking it all in, looking at the fans and not really believing what was happening, and when I got out there, it was just business as usual. It was amazing. I’ll always remember that moment.”

Gozo has come a long way from being that starstruck kid. He established himself as a key starter on the Claret and Cobalt’s flank last season, before taking his game to a whole new level this spring. In 16 starts across the first half of the season, Gozo scored six goals and added five assists, getting the nod for the 2026 MLS All-Star Game as well as catching the eye of Palace.

Now a new career-defining moment is on the horizon, as the Eagles finalized a five-year deal for Gozo on Tuesday, dishing out a reported $15 million to RSL for the young star’s acquisition.

Zavier Gozo Bound for the Big Leagues

🤌 pic.twitter.com/HgOwXlXj43
— Crystal Palace F.C. (@CPFC) August 18, 2026

“I’m really looking forward to playing in the Premier League with Crystal Palace. It’s the dream of any footballer,” Gozo said in the club’s news release on Tuesday evening. “I’m excited by the people and the project they have going on here. I’ve seen a lot of it, and that’s what excites me about this club as well, the success that they’ve had.”

It feels full circle for Gozo, who recalls waking up in the mornings to watch the Premier League with his family.

“Me and my brother used to watch all the Premier League highlights every day, all day and with my dad,” Gozo said on Palace’s social media. “It’s crazy to think I could be in those highlights.”

Gozo becomes the second American on the Eagles’ roster, joining USMNT star center back Chris Richards, who is currently on a five-year deal with the club through 2027. The 26-year-old out of Birmingham, Ala. was one of the most impactful players for the USMNT at the World Cup this summer. He could serve as an important mentor for Gozo, whose own debut with the senior national team appears increasingly imminent.

“Yo bro, it’s Chris,” Richards said through a phone message to Gozo in a video the club posted to social media. “Heard through the grapevine you might be joining me in South London all the way from the 801. Can’t wait to get going. Congrats bro, and see you soon.”

The Stars and Stripes Are Calling

Gozo dribbling — Zavier Gozo has competed at the youth levels for U.S. Soccer. | Javier TORRES/AFP/Getty Images

Gozo has made 27 appearances at the youth levels for U.S. Soccer, notably as part of the U-20 squad that was runner-up in the 2024 Concacaf U-20 Championship. He also competed in the 2025 U-20 World Cup in Chile.

His senior debut appears to be on the horizon and could come as soon as the upcoming September international window, in which the USMNT will re-group post-World Cup and play four friendlies into early October.

“Just missing out on the 2026 World Cup obviously made me realize how much I did want to play for the national team,” Gozo tells Sports Illustrated. “And I do still want to play for the national team. It’s definitely in my mind.”

He adds: “This World Cup definitely put a little fire under me to make the next one.”

Gozo celebrating goal — Gozo competed in the U-20 World Cup in Chile last year. | Hugo Rivera/Jam Media/Getty Images)

Gozo may be motivated to make his senior debut, but he’s also in no rush. He knows his timeline—no matter how fast it’s been at the club level so far—is uniquely his own.

“Just learning that everyone has their own journey and everyone moves at their own pace,” he says. “It doesn’t mean that if you get there before me, you’re going to be better than me, or you are better than me.

“That’s something I’ve taken [into consideration] and thought about my whole career up until this point and will for the rest of my life.”

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