Azriel Gonzalez

Azriel Gonzalez (born May 24, 2001) is an American soccer player who currently plays as a midfielder for Tacoma Defiance in the USL Championship.

Azriel Gonzalez
Personal information
Date of birth (2001-05-24) May 24, 2001
Place of birth Las Vegas, Nevada, United States
Height 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
Playing position(s) Midfielder
Club information
Current team
 Tacoma Defiance
Number 38
Youth career
–2015 Heat FC
2015–2017 Seattle Sounders FC
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2017– Tacoma Defiance 45 (7)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only and correct as of October 25, 2019

Club career

Gonzalez has been with the Seattle Sounders FC academy since 2015 when he was 13.[1] In 2016, Gonzalez's first full season in the academy, Gonzalez scored 12 goals and 6 assists in 18 matches with the U-16s.[2] In that same season, the team won the Youdan Trophy, a tournament held in Sheffield, England, with Gonzalez earning Golden Boot honors after scoring five goals and two assists in five matches.[3]

On April 25, 2017, Gonzalez made his debut for USL club Seattle Sounders FC 2 in a 3–2 defeat to San Antonio FC. He was subbed in at the 71st minute but was sent off after receiving a straight red card for a two-footed, sliding challenge in stoppage time.[4] On June 3, 2017, he logged his first assist, the game-winning goal, in a 3–0 victory over LA Galaxy II.[5] On July 17, 2017, he officially signed with Sounders FC 2, moving from the Seattle Sounders FC's academy to their USL team, and became the youngest player in club history to sign a professional contract.[6] On July 20, 2017, Gonzalez made his first professional start, playing the full 90 minutes, in a 2–0 defeat to Swope Park Rangers.[7] On July 23, 2017, after making his second professional start, he was substituted off in the 43rd minute after he sustained a right lateral ankle sprain.[8]

The 2017 season marked the first time that Gonzalez had trained with Sounders' first team. Gonzalez spent time with the first team during its preseason, training in Seattle and traveling with the team to Tucson, Arizona for preseason friendlies.[9] He again joined the Sounders' first team with preseason training in Chula Vista, California before the start of the 2018 season with a number of other academy players.[10]

International career

Gonzalez has represented the United States a number of times playing at the U-16 level.[2]

Style of play

A quick, skillful and creative player, Gonzalez is capable of playing in several offensive positions. He is usually deployed as a winger or as an attacking midfielder, and has even been used as a lone striker.[11] His club manager Ezra Hendrickson described him as "a gifted and motivated player with great instincts and technical abilities" and later described Gonzalez as "an excellent finisher and very good at 1v1 defending".[11][12] When describing himself, he stated, "I'm a player that tries to take players on and am confident with the ball".[13]

Career Statistics
As of July 10, 2018
Club Season League Playoffs Total
AppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssistsAppsGoalsAssists
Seattle Sounders FC 2 2017[14] 901---901
2018[14] 510---510
Seattle Sounders FC 2 total 14110001411
Career total 14110001411
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References
  1. Baker, Geoff (January 30, 2017). "For Sounders Academy players like Azriel Gonzalez, it's a taste of the big time". SeattleTimes.com. Seattle Times. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  2. Mondello, Joseph (March 13, 2017). "Azriel Gonzalez called in to United States U-16 Boys National Team". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  3. Mondello, Joseph (August 12, 2016). "Seattle Sounders U16s return from Sheffield as Champions". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  4. "Sounders FC 2 falls to San Antonio FC 3-2 at Starfire Stadium". SoundersFC.com. April 25, 2017. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  5. Liljenwall, Ari (June 4, 2017). "16-year-old Academy product Azriel Gonzalez earns first USL assist in S2 victory". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved June 6, 2017.
  6. "Sounders FC 2 signs midfielder Azriel Gonzalez". SoundersFC.com. July 17, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
  7. "Swope Park Rangers top Sounders FC 2 by a score of 2-0 at Starfire Stadium". SoundersFC.com. July 24, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
  8. "S2 struggles continue in Sacramento but season remains successful". SounderAtHeart.com. July 26, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
  9. Mondello, Joseph (February 6, 2017). "Academy players train in Tucson with Sounders FC". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved April 26, 2017.
  10. Mondello, Joseph (January 23, 2018). "Academy prospects relishing opportunity to train with Seattle Sounders First Team in preseason". SoundersFC.com. Retrieved January 24, 2018.
  11. Ezra Hendrickson on what Azriel Gonzalez brings to S2 (Interview). Youtube.com. Seattle Sounders FC. July 18, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  12. "Gonzalez Signs with Sounders FC 2". USLSoccer.com. July 17, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  13. Azriel Gonzalez on signing with Sounders FC 2 (Interview). Youtube.com. Seattle Sounders FC. July 18, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
  14. "Azriel Gonzalez - Player Stats". USLSoccer.com. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2018.


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