Steve Zakuani

Steve Zakuani (born February 9, 1988) is a Congolese former association football player. He was born in Zaire—now the Democratic Republic of the Congo—and grew up in London. He had a successful college career before playing for Seattle Sounders FC and the Portland Timbers.

Zakuani played for the Arsenal youth academy but as a teenager he struggled finding a team. He attended the University of Akron on a soccer scholarship and excelled as a forward. In 2009, Seattle selected Zakuani first overall in the MLS SuperDraft. He quickly became a fan favorite as a winger who had the speed and ability to take on opposing defenders. He had success in 2010, scoring ten goals and debuting for the Congo DR national football team in a friendly. However, in 2011, he suffered a leg injury that almost ended his career. He returned in 2012 but failed to recapture his early success, and retired after playing the 2014 MLS season with the Portland Timbers. After soccer, Zakuani has pursued helping young athletes through charity.