Nkosi Tafari facts for kids
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Tafari with FC Dallas in 2021
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Nkosi Tafari Burgess | ||
| Date of birth | March 23, 1997 | ||
| Place of birth | New York City, New York, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
|
Current team
|
Los Angeles FC | ||
| Number | 91 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2015–2018 | UConn Huskies | 46 | (1) |
| 2019 | Seattle Redhawks | 20 | (1) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2020–2025 | FC Dallas | 107 | (7) |
| 2020–2021 | → North Texas SC (loan) | 8 | (2) |
| 2025– | Los Angeles FC | 4 | (0) |
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 15, 2025 | |||
Nkosi Tafari Burgess (born March 23, 1997) is an American professional soccer player. He plays as a defender for the Major League Soccer team Los Angeles FC.
Contents
Soccer Journey
College Soccer Days
Nkosi Tafari started his college soccer journey at the University of Connecticut in 2015. He played for the UConn Huskies from 2016 to 2018. During this time, he appeared in 46 games and scored one goal.
In 2019, Tafari played his final college season at Seattle University. He played 20 games for the Seattle Redhawks and scored another goal. His strong defense earned him the WAC Defensive Player of the Year award. He was also named to the United Soccer Coaches All-Region First Team.
Becoming a Pro Player
On January 9, 2020, Nkosi Tafari was chosen by FC Dallas in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft. He was the 14th player picked overall. He officially signed with the club on February 18, 2020.
Tafari made his first professional appearance on October 3, 2020. He played for North Texas SC, which is a team connected to FC Dallas.
He scored his first goal for FC Dallas on August 21, 2021, against the Houston Dynamo. On August 26, 2023, Tafari scored a very important goal. It was the winning goal in a 1–0 game against Austin FC. This goal came at 96 minutes and 49 seconds, making it the latest game-winning goal in FC Dallas history.
In January 2025, Tafari moved to a new team. He was traded to Los Angeles FC.
Playing for His Country
In January 2024, Nkosi Tafari was chosen to play for the senior United States national team. He was part of the squad for a match against the Slovenia national team.
About Nkosi Tafari
In 2021, Nkosi Tafari made a personal decision about his name. He announced that he would go by his middle name, Tafari, instead of Burgess. He explained that he wanted to connect with his own roots and be proud of his African heritage. His mother's family has roots in Ethiopia and Madagascar.
Images for kids
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Tafari with FC Dallas in 2021
See also
In Spanish: Nkosi Tafari para niños
