Sal Zizzo Explained

Sal Zizzo
Full Name:Salvatore Zizzo Jr.[1]
Birth Date:3 April 1987
Birth Place:San Diego, California, United States
Position:Winger, full-back
Youthyears1:2002–2005
Youthclubs1:Hotspurs USA
Collegeyears1:2005–2006
College1:UCLA Bruins
Collegecaps1:43
Collegegoals1:8
Years1:2006–2007
Clubs1:Orange County Blue Star
Caps1:13
Goals1:5
Years2:2007–2010
Clubs2:Hannover 96 II
Caps2:45
Goals2:8
Years3:2007–2010
Clubs3:Hannover 96
Caps3:8
Goals3:0
Years4:2009
Clubs4:Fortuna Düsseldorf (loan)
Caps4:0
Goals4:0
Years5:2010
Clubs5:Chivas USA
Caps5:10
Goals5:0
Years6:2011–2013
Clubs6:Portland Timbers
Caps6:60
Goals6:2
Years7:2014
Clubs7:Sporting Kansas City
Caps7:19
Goals7:0
Years8:2015–2017
Clubs8:New York Red Bulls
Caps8:73
Goals8:0
Years9:2018
Clubs9:Atlanta United
Caps9:6
Goals9:0
Years10:2018
Clubs10:Atlanta United 2
Caps10:1
Goals10:0
Years11:2020–2021
Clubs11:San Diego Loyal
Caps11:19
Goals11:0
Nationalyears1:2007
Nationalteam1:United States U20
Nationalcaps1:5
Nationalgoals1:0
Nationalyears2:2008
Nationalteam2:United States U23
Nationalcaps2:2
Nationalgoals2:0
Nationalyears3:2007
Nationalteam3:United States
Nationalcaps3:1
Nationalgoals3:0

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

Career

Youth and amateur

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

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

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

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

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCupLeague CupContinentalTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Orange County Blue Star2006Premier Development League114000000114
20072100000021
Total135000000135
2007–08Regionalliga Nord214000000214
2008–09171000000171
2009–107300000073
Total458000000458
2007–08Bundesliga2000000020
2008–095010000060
2009–101000000010
Total8010000090
Chivas USA2010Major League Soccer100100000110
Portland Timbers2011Major League Soccer300100000310
2012201000000201
2013101200000121
Total602300000632
Sporting Kansas City2014Major League Soccer190200031241
New York Red Bulls2015Major League Soccer220214000281
2016280202030350
2017230500020300
Total730916050931
Atlanta United FCMajor League Soccer6020000080
Atlanta United 2USL Championship1000000010
San Diego Loyal SCUSL Championship80colspan="2"-000080
Career total22815161608125817

Honors

New York Red Bulls

2015

Atlanta United FC

2018

Notes and References

  1. Web site: FIFA U-20 World Cup Canada 2007 – List of Players . FIFA . 23 . June 18, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131231000046/http://www.fifadata.com/document/FWYC/2007/pdf/FWYC_2007_SquadLists.pdf . December 31, 2013.
  2. Web site: Player Bio: Sal Zizzo – Men's Soccer . UCLA Athletics . May 27, 2010 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081028212116/http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/m-soccer/mtt/zizzo_sal00.html . October 28, 2008.
  3. Web site: Simon . Jeffries . Team USA: Sal Zizzo signs with Bundesliga's Hannover 96. San Diego MLS Project . July 25, 2007 . https://web.archive.org/web/20080224013302/http://sdmlsproject.com/zizzo2007.html . February 24, 2008 . May 27, 2010.
  4. Web site: Player Bio: Sal Zizzo - UCLA Official Athletic Site . uclabruins.com . December 22, 2018 . April 17, 2013.
  5. Web site: Zizzo tears ACL, done for season . american-soccer-news.com . October 13, 2009 . May 27, 2010.
  6. Web site: Lottery sends Sal Zizzo to Chivas USA Major League Soccer. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20100725062046/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/lottery-sends-sal-zizzo-chivas-usa. 2010-07-25.
  7. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/sns-ap-soc-mls-timbers-chivas-usa-zizzo,0,7538295.story Portland Timbers acquire midfielder Sal Zizzo from Chivas USA
  8. Web site: Austin. Kurt. Sporting KC acquires midfielder Sal Zizzo through trade with Portland Timbers FC. SportingKC.com. Sporting Kansas City. December 13, 2013.
  9. http://www.newyorkredbulls.com/news/2014/12/red-bulls-loan-goalkeeper-ryan-meara-new-york-city-fc-2015-season Zizzo joins Red Bulls
  10. News: RBNY earn hard-fought point on the road vs. Sporting Kansas City . newyorkredbulls.com . March 8, 2015.
  11. News: RBNY blank conference rivals in home opener. March 22, 2015 . newyorkredbulls.com.
  12. Web site: New York Red Bulls 4, New York Cosmos 1. New York Red Bulls. July 1, 2015.
  13. News: New York Red Bulls Claim Supporters' Shield With 2–1 Win At Chicago. October 26, 2015. newyorkredbulls.com . October 26, 2015.
  14. Web site: 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. Web site: Atlanta United Signs Free Agent Sal Zizzo | Atlanta United FC.
  16. Web site: Sal Zizzo retires from professional soccer, goes out as MLS Cup champion MLSSoccer.com.
  17. Web site: Sal Zizzo, San Diego native who was first to sign with Loyal, plans to retire . October 29, 2021 .
  18. http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2007/07/06/us-u-20-team-fact-figures-tidbits/ Meet Your United States U-20 Team – New York Times
  19. http://www.socceramerica.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Articles.showArticleHomePage&art_aid=22777 German club Hannover signs U.S. U-20 Zizzo – Soccer America