Steve Zakuani

Steve Zakuani (born February 9, 1988) is a Congolese footballer who currently plays for Seattle Sounders FC in Major League Soccer. Born in Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo), Zakuani grew up in London playing for the Arsenal youth academy before attending the University of Akron on a soccer scholarship. In 2008 he was a finalist for the Hermann Trophy and was named Soccer America men's collegiate player of the year.

Zakuani's professional career began with Seattle Sounders FC in 2009. He was drafted by the MLS expansion club as the first pick of the first round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft on a Generation Adidas contract. In his first season he scored four goals and four assists and was a finalist for MLS Rookie of the Year. In the 2010 season he increased his goal total to ten and scored Sounders FC's first ever playoff goal. On November 10, 2010, Zakuani made his first international soccer appearance representing DR Congo in a friendly match.