Zach Thornton facts for kids
Thornton in 2008
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| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 10, 1973 | ||
| Place of birth | Edgewood, Maryland, United States | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993–1994 | Loyola Greyhounds | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 1993 | Baltimore Bays | ? | (?) |
| 1996–1997 | MetroStars | 6 | (0) |
| 1997 | → Imperials (loan) | 4 | (0) |
| 1998–2006 | Chicago Fire | 215 | (0) |
| 2004 | → Benfica (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2007 | Colorado Rapids | 1 | (0) |
| 2008 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | (0) |
| 2008–2011 | Chivas USA | 60 | (0) |
| Total | 286 | (0) | |
| International career | |||
| 1994–2001 | United States | 8 | (0) |
| Managerial career | |||
| 2012 | Loyola Greyhounds (goalkeeping) | ||
| 2012 | Elizabethtown Blue Jays (goalkeeping) | ||
| 2013–2014 | Villanova Wildcats (associate head coach) | ||
| 2015–2021 | D.C. United (goalkeeping) | ||
| 2022 | Houston Dynamo (goalkeeping) | ||
| 2022– | Chicago Fire (goalkeeping) | ||
| *Club domestic league appearances and goals | |||
Zach Thornton (born October 10, 1973) is a well-known American soccer player who became a coach. He played as a goalkeeper for 16 seasons in Major League Soccer (MLS). He played for teams like the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, Chicago Fire, Colorado Rapids, New York Red Bulls, and Chivas USA. Zach was the main goalkeeper for the Chicago Fire when they won the MLS Cup '98 in their very first year. He is one of only three Fire players who were part of all six of the club's major wins between 1998 and 2006. Today, he is a goalkeeping coach for Chicago Fire FC.
Contents
Zach Thornton: A Soccer Star's Journey
Early Life and Sports
Zach Thornton was the youngest of four children. He started playing soccer when he was five years old and lacrosse a year later. His father encouraged him to play these sports instead of American football, as he had experienced many injuries playing football himself.
Zach was a talented athlete at The John Carroll School, playing soccer, lacrosse, and basketball. He later attended Essex Community College and then Loyola College in Maryland. At Loyola, he continued to play both soccer and lacrosse. He was even named a third-team All-American in lacrosse. In 2020, he was honored by being named to the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference 40th Anniversary Men's Soccer Team.
Professional Soccer Career
Zach Thornton had a long and successful career as a professional soccer goalkeeper.
Starting in MLS
In 1996, Zach was chosen by the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in the MLS Inaugural Player Draft. At the time, another famous goalkeeper, Tony Meola, was the main player for the MetroStars. Because of this, Zach only played six games in his first two seasons in MLS. In 1997, he also played a few games on loan for the North Jersey Imperials in the USISL.
Chicago Fire Success
Zach's career really took off when the Chicago Fire picked him in the 1997 MLS Expansion Draft. He became the main goalkeeper for the Fire, even over Mexican international Jorge Campos. Zach led the new Fire team to win the MLS Cup in their first year. He was also named the league's Goalkeeper of the Year that season.
He played for the Fire for six years, always as the starting goalkeeper. He was often one of the best goalkeepers in MLS. In 2004, Zach signed a short contract with the Portuguese club Benfica. However, he did not play any first-team games there. He then returned to the Fire later that MLS season. When he came back, his former backup, Henry Ring, was playing as the main goalkeeper. But in 2005, Zach got his starting spot back and only missed a few games due to injuries.
Later MLS Teams
On March 2, 2007, Zach was traded to the Colorado Rapids. He was a backup goalkeeper there during the 2007 season. After that year, he was released from the team. The New York Red Bulls then signed him in 2008 as a reserve goalkeeper.
Zach was traded to Chivas USA on August 2, 2008. He played very well in his first two seasons with the team. In 2009, he won the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Award again. Zach was injured during the 2011 season with Chivas USA and lost his starting position. After that season, the club decided not to keep him, and he became a free agent.
Playing for the U.S. National Team
Zach Thornton played for the U.S. national team. His first game for the national team was in 1994 against Jamaica. He was also a backup goalkeeper for Kasey Keller at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Even though he was very successful in MLS, he only played eight games for the national team. In December 2009, he was called up again to play in a friendly game against Honduras in January 2010.
From Player to Coach
After his playing career, Zach Thornton became a soccer coach. On July 5, 2012, he returned to his old college, Loyola University Maryland, as a part-time volunteer goalkeeping coach for the men's soccer team. A few weeks later, on August 20, he took a full-time goalkeeping coach position for both the men's and women's teams at Elizabethtown College.
On January 17, 2013, he became the Associate Head Coach for the men's soccer team at Villanova University. In 2015, Zach was hired as the Goalkeeping Coach for the MLS team D.C. United. On January 13, 2022, he was named goalkeeping coach for Houston Dynamo FC. In December 2022, Zach Thornton joined Chicago Fire FC as their goalkeeping coach, where he works today.
Awards and Achievements
Chicago Fire
- U.S. Open Cup: 1998, 2000, 2003
- Major League Soccer Eastern Conference Championship: 2003
- MLS Cup: 1998
- Major League Soccer Supporters' Shield: 2003
- Major League Soccer Western Conference Championship: 1998
Individual
- MLS All-Star: 1998, 1999, 2000
- MLS Goalkeeper of the Year: 1998, 2009
- MLS Best XI: 1998, 2009
- MLS Comeback Player of the Year: 2009
See also
In Spanish: Zach Thornton para niños
