Sal Zizzo

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Sal Zizzo
Zizzo in 2015 with the New York Red Bulls
Personal information
Full name Salvatore Zizzo Jr.[1]
Date of birth (1987-04-03) April 3, 1987 (age 37)
Place of birth San Diego, California, United States
Height 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Position(s) Winger, full-back
Youth career
2002–2005 Hotspurs USA
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2005–2006 UCLA Bruins 43 (8)
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2006–2007 Orange County Blue Star 13 (5)
2007–2010 Hannover 96 II 45 (8)
2007–2010 Hannover 96 8 (0)
2009 → Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan) 0 (0)
2010 Chivas USA 10 (0)
2011–2013 Portland Timbers 60 (2)
2014 Sporting Kansas City 19 (0)
2015–2017 New York Red Bulls 73 (0)
2018 Atlanta United 6 (0)
2018 Atlanta United 2 1 (0)
2020–2021 San Diego Loyal 19 (0)
International career
2007 United States U20 5 (0)
2008 United States U23 2 (0)
2007 United States 1 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Salvatore "Sal" Zizzo Jr. (born April 3, 1987) is an American former professional soccer player who played as a winger or full-back.

Career[edit]

Youth and amateur[edit]

Zizzo attended Patrick Henry High School, where he played soccer and baseball. As a baseball center fielder, he was a four-year letterman and voted first-team All-CIF his junior year. He also excelled in soccer, he was voted All-CIF honors four years straight (2002–05).[2] He played club soccer for Hotspurs USA (El Cajon, CA), and was a member of his region's Olympic Development Program (ODP) team. Zizzo then went on to play two years of college soccer at UCLA. At UCLA he was an NCSAA/adidas All-American as a freshman in 2005.[3] Zizzo was also selected as Pac10 Freshman Player of the Year the same year. In 2006, UCLA reached the College Cup vs. Santa Barbara in St. Louis.

He finished his career at UCLA with 43 appearances, eight goals, and 14 assists.[4]

During his college years he also played two seasons with senior amateur team Orange County Blue Star in the USL Premier Development League.

Professional[edit]

Zizzo left college early and turned professional in July 2007 after a successful U20 World Cup in Canada for the United States. He signed to Bundesliga club Hannover 96, for a three-year contract. Zizzo made his Bundesliga debut for Hannover on May 10, 2008 in a match against Werder Bremen. In October 2009, Zizzo suffered an ACL injury and missed the entire 2009–10 season.[5] During his stay at the club he was a regular starter for the reserve side, Hannover 96 II, appearing in 45 league matches and scoring 8 goals.

On July 21, 2010, Chivas USA acquired Zizzo through a weighted lottery conducted by MLS.[6] Zizzo played in ten games (making one start) over the second half of the season, totaling 254 minutes and one assist. On February 15, 2011, Zizzo was traded by Chivas USA to MLS expansion side Portland Timbers in exchange for allocation money.[7] Zizzo scored his first MLS goal on August 15, 2012 in a 2–2 draw at Toronto FC. On August 31, 2013, Zizzo scored his second career league goal in a 4–2 loss to Real Salt Lake. In three seasons with Portland Zizzo appeared in 60 league matches and scored two goals and assisted on seven.

On December 13, 2013, Zizzo was traded to Sporting Kansas City in exchange for allocation money.[8] On September 23, 2014 Zizzo helped Sporting to a 3–0 victory over Real Estelí in a CONCACAF Champions League match, scoring the third goal of the match.

On December 10, 2014, Zizzo was the ninth pick of New York City FC in the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft. The following day he was traded to local rivals New York Red Bulls in a deal agreed prior to the draft, with Red Bulls goalkeeper Ryan Meara going the other way on a one-year loan.[9] Zizzo made his debut for New York on March 8, 2015 coming on as a second-half substitute in a 1–1 draw at former club Sporting Kansas City.[10] On March 22, 2015 Zizzo started his first match for New York in a 2–0 victory over rival D.C. United at Red Bull Arena.[11] On July 1, 2015 Zizzo scored his first goal for New York, helping the Red Bulls to a 4–1 victory in the U.S. Open Cup over local rival New York Cosmos.[12] Zizzo ended the season as the club's starting right back and helped New York in capturing the 2015 MLS Supporters' Shield.[13]

On August 15, 2017, Zizzo helped New York to a 3–2 come from behind victory over FC Cincinnati, providing the game winning assist on Bradley Wright-Phillips's goal in the 101st minute which sent New York to their first Open Cup final since 2003.[14]

In January 2018, Zizzo signed as a free agent with Atlanta United FC.[15]

Zizzo announced his retirement from playing professional soccer on May 21, 2019.[16]

Just over six months following his announced retirement, Zizzo returned to professional soccer when he was announced as the first ever signing for USL Championship side San Diego Loyal ahead of their inaugural season in 2020. Following the 2021 season, Zizzo again announced his retirement.[17]

International[edit]

Zizzo represented the U.S. at the U18 and U20 levels. He participated in the Lisbon International Tournament and the Milk Cup in Northern Ireland with the U18s in 2005. Zizzo suited up for the United States. U20 National Team in the 2007 FIFA U20 World Cup, starting all five of the team's matches in the tournament and helping the team reach the quarterfinals. He made his senior national team debut on August 22, 2007, in a friendly against Sweden.

Personal life[edit]

Zizzo holds both American and Italian citizenship, as both his parents were born in Palermo, Sicily.[18] This helped with negotiating a contract in Europe with Hannover 96.[19] In November 2013 Zizzo married Destiny Moniz. They have three daughters and one son, Capri Kalei born April 27, 2015, Aeri Elalia born on January 6, 2017, Zuri Meadow born June 29, 2018, and Massi Kailo born June 19 2021.

Career statistics[edit]

As of October 7, 2017
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Cup League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Orange County Blue Star 2006 Premier Development League 11 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 11 4
2007 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1
Total 13 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 13 5
Hannover 96 II 2007–08 Regionalliga Nord 21 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 21 4
2008–09 17 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 17 1
2009–10 7 3 0 0 0 0 0 0 7 3
Total 45 8 0 0 0 0 0 0 45 8
Hannover 96 2007–08 Bundesliga 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 0
2008–09 5 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 6 0
2009–10 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
Total 8 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 9 0
Chivas USA 2010 Major League Soccer 10 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 11 0
Portland Timbers 2011 Major League Soccer 30 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 31 0
2012 20 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 20 1
2013 10 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 12 1
Total 60 2 3 0 0 0 0 0 63 2
Sporting Kansas City 2014 Major League Soccer 19 0 2 0 0 0 3 1 24 1
New York Red Bulls 2015 Major League Soccer 22 0 2 1 4 0 0 0 28 1
2016 28 0 2 0 2 0 3 0 35 0
2017 23 0 5 0 0 0 2 0 30 0
Total 73 0 9 1 6 0 5 0 93 1
Atlanta United FC 2018 Major League Soccer 6 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 8 0
Atlanta United 2 2018 USL Championship 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0
San Diego Loyal SC 2020 USL Championship 8 0 - 0 0 0 0 8 0
Career total 228 15 16 1 6 0 8 1 258 17

Honors[edit]

New York Red Bulls

Atlanta United FC

References[edit]

  1. ^ "FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 – List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 31, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2013.
  2. ^ "Player Bio: Sal Zizzo – Men's Soccer". UCLA Athletics. Archived from the original on October 28, 2008. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  3. ^ Jeffries, Simon (July 25, 2007). "Team USA: Sal Zizzo signs with Bundesliga's Hannover 96". San Diego MLS Project. Archived from the original on February 24, 2008. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  4. ^ "Player Bio: Sal Zizzo - UCLA Official Athletic Site". uclabruins.com. April 17, 2013. Retrieved December 22, 2018.
  5. ^ "Zizzo tears ACL, done for season". american-soccer-news.com. October 13, 2009. Retrieved May 27, 2010.
  6. ^ "Lottery sends Sal Zizzo to Chivas USA | Major League Soccer". Archived from the original on July 25, 2010.
  7. ^ Portland Timbers acquire midfielder Sal Zizzo from Chivas USA [permanent dead link]
  8. ^ Austin, Kurt. "Sporting KC acquires midfielder Sal Zizzo through trade with Portland Timbers FC". SportingKC.com. Sporting Kansas City. Retrieved December 13, 2013.
  9. ^ Zizzo joins Red Bulls – newyorkredbulls.com
  10. ^ "RBNY earn hard-fought point on the road vs. Sporting Kansas City". newyorkredbulls.com. Retrieved March 8, 2015.
  11. ^ "RBNY blank conference rivals in home opener". newyorkredbulls.com. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  12. ^ "New York Red Bulls 4, New York Cosmos 1". New York Red Bulls. Retrieved July 1, 2015.
  13. ^ "New York Red Bulls Claim Supporters' Shield With 2–1 Win At Chicago". newyorkredbulls.com. October 26, 2015. Retrieved October 26, 2015.
  14. ^ "NEW YORK RED BULLS STORM BACK FOR 3–2 EXTRA-TIME WIN TO REACH 2017 U.S. OPEN CUP FINAL AS MIDNIGHT STRIKES FOR CINDERELLAS FC CINCINNATI". ussoccer.com.
  15. ^ "Atlanta United Signs Free Agent Sal Zizzo | Atlanta United FC".
  16. ^ "Sal Zizzo retires from professional soccer, goes out as MLS Cup champion | MLSSoccer.com".
  17. ^ "Sal Zizzo, San Diego native who was first to sign with Loyal, plans to retire". October 29, 2021.
  18. ^ Meet Your United States U-20 Team – New York Times
  19. ^ German club Hannover signs U.S. U-20 Zizzo – Soccer America [permanent dead link]

External links[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sal Zizzo.
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