Zakaria Taifi
|
Taifi with Orlando City in 2025 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | October 1, 2005 | ||
| Place of birth | Orlando, Florida, U.S. | ||
| Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)[1] | ||
| Position(s) | |||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Orlando City | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| 2015–2024 | Orlando City | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022–2025 | Orlando City B | 44 | (1) |
| 2025 | → Orlando City (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| 2025– | Orlando City | 8 | (0) |
| 2025– | → Orlando City B (loan) | 9 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 01:26, March 22, 2026 (UTC) | |||
Zakaria Taifi (born October 1, 2005) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a right-back or center-back for Major League Soccer club Orlando City.
Taifi was the first player to sign a permanent contract with the first team of Orlando City after joining the team's academy at the youngest possible age group when he became the team's 19th homegrown player in 2025.
Youth career
Taifi joined the Orlando City academy in 2015 at the U9 level. In 2021, Taifi was a major contributor to the academy winning the 2021 U17 MLS Next Cup against the Player Development Academy.[3] On November 14, 2023, Taifi committed to attending the University of Portland and joining the Portland Pilots following graduation in 2024, but ultimately did not play college soccer.[4][5][6]
Club career
Orlando City B
Taifi made the bench four times in 2022 for Orlando City B in MLS Next Pro, first being made available from the academy on August 20 against Columbus Crew 2.[7][8]
On March 16, 2023, Taifi made his professional debut when he came on as a 78th-minute substitute for Yutaro Tsukada in a 3–2 win over Atlanta United 2.[9] In the following match six days later against Huntsville City, Taifi made his first start, helping the game to end 1–1. In the following penalty-kick shoot-out, Taifi missed his penalty, but the team would win the shoot-out 4–3 regardless.[10]
On March 12, 2024, Taifi was promoted from the academy and signed a two-year contract with the developmental team.[1] On March 9, 2025, Taifi scored the first goal of his senior career, the second goal of a 2–1 win over Columbus Crew 2.[11]
Orlando City
On January 27, 2024, Taifi made his unofficial debut when he appeared as a 79th-minute substitute in a 1–1 draw with Brazilian club Flamengo during the 2024 FC Series.[4]
The following season, on March 1, 2025, Taifi signed his first short-term agreement with Orlando City which would see him made available for a match against Toronto FC on the same day, but he would be an unused substitute.[12][13] Ahead of a match at CF Montréal on April 19, Taifi signed another short-term agreement, and he would make his debut for the team as an 85th-minute substitute for Martín Ojeda in a scoreless draw.[14][15] On May 17, Taifi signed a homegrown contract through 2026 with club options for 2027, 2028, and 2029, making him the 19th homegrown player for the club.[16] Taifi's signing also made him the first player to advance fully through Orlando's development pathway as he joined at the youngest possible age at the U9 youth level.[17] In November, Taifi trained with Portuguese club Moreirense, which is 70% owned by Black Knight Football Club UK Limited, the ownership group which Orlando City has an affiliation with, at the behest of Moreirense manager Vasco Botelho da Costa.[18][19][20]
On February 21, 2026, Taifi came on as an 86th-minute substitute for Griffin Dorsey as Orlando City trailed the New York Red Bulls two goals to zero and provided his first goal contribution for Orlando City via an assist to Tiago, but Orlando City still lost 2–1.[21][22]
Personal life
Taifi is eligible to represent Morocco.[2] Taifi began playing soccer and practicing jiu-jitsu when he was 4-years-old, but made the full-time switch to soccer six years later after he earned his green belt, the highest belt he could earn before the age of 16. Taifi began attending Florida Virtual School in 8th grade.[23] After his time at Florida Virtual School, Taifi attended SAI Academy in St. Cloud, Florida, where he graduated in 2024.[24][25]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played March 21, 2026[7]
| Club | Season | League | U.S. Open Cup | Continental | Playoffs | Other | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Orlando City B | 2022 | MLS Next Pro | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 0 | 0 | ||||
| 2023 | MLS Next Pro | 23 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | 23 | 0 | ||||
| 2024 | MLS Next Pro | 13 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | — | 13 | 0 | ||||
| 2025 | MLS Next Pro | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | 13 | 1 | |||||
| Total | 49 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 49 | 1 | ||
| Orlando City (loan) | 2025 | Major League Soccer | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 | ||||
| Orlando City | 5 | 0 | 1 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 2[a] | 0 | 8 | 0 | |||
| 2026 | Major League Soccer | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | |||
| Orlando City total | 9 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 12 | 0 | ||
| Orlando City B (loan) | 2025 | MLS Next Pro | 7 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 7 | 0 | ||||
| 2026 | MLS Next Pro | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | |||||
| Career total | 62 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 65 | 1 | ||
- ^ Appearances in Leagues Cup
References
- ^ a b "Orlando City SC signs defender Zakaria Taifi to First Team contract". Orlando City. March 12, 2024. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ a b "Zakaria Taifi". WorldFootball.net. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ "Orlando City B signs academy product Zakaria Taifi". Orlando City B. March 12, 2024. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
- ^ a b Gramajo, Mike (January 27, 2024). "Orlando City plays to 1-1 draw versus Flamengo in FC Series friendly". WESH. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ "Zakaria Taifi". SoccerWire. Retrieved October 5, 2025.
- ^ @portlandmsoc; (November 14, 2023). "Welcome Zakaria Taifi, a defender from Orlando, Florida! "Excited to be joining a top tier soccer program in the country! Looking forward to the journey. Go Pilots!"". Retrieved October 5, 2025 – via Instagram.
- ^ a b "USA – Z. Taifi". Soccerway. Retrieved March 1, 2025.
- ^ "Orlando City B vs. Columbus Crew II". Soccerway. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
- ^ "Atlanta United II vs. Orlando City B". Soccerway. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
- ^ "Huntsville City vs. Orlando City B". Soccerway. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
- ^ "ORLvsCLB 03-09-2025". MLS Next Pro. Retrieved March 9, 2025.
- ^ "Orlando City SC Signs Gustavo Caraballo, Colin Guske & Zakaria Taifi to Short-Term Agreements". Orlando City. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
- ^ "ORLvsTOR 03-01-2025". Major League Soccer. Retrieved March 6, 2025.
- ^ David, Austin (April 19, 2025). "Orlando City Starting XI: The Lions' lineup and bench ahead of their matchup in Montréal". Orlando City. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ "MTLvsORL 04-19-2025". Major League Soccer. Retrieved April 19, 2025.
- ^ "Orlando City SC signs defender Zakaria Taifi to First Team contract". Orlando City. May 17, 2025. Retrieved May 17, 2025.
- ^ David, Austin (June 9, 2025). "Made in Orlando: Zakaria Taifi relishing opportunity with boyhood club". Orlando City. Retrieved June 10, 2025.
- ^ Esteves, Miguel (November 17, 2025). "Moreirense: novo defesa chega dos Estados Unidos". A Bola (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ^ Esteves, Miguel (November 18, 2025). "Moreirense: Taifi de regresso a Orlando". A Bola (in Portuguese). Retrieved November 19, 2025.
- ^ "Orlando City SC Announces Affiliation Agreement with Black Knight Football Club". Orlando City. April 28, 2025. Retrieved April 29, 2025.
- ^ Foley, Kyle (February 21, 2026). "Orlando City fall flat in first half as Red Bulls win opener". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved February 21, 2026.
- ^ "Match report: Orlando City SC drops season opener Against Red Bull New York". Orlando City. February 22, 2026. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
- ^ "Zakaria Taifi '24 Recruiting Profile". Next College Student Athlete. Archived from the original on July 31, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.
- ^ "In the Classroom: SAI Academy 2024-2025 Recap". Orlando City. May 30, 2025. Retrieved July 30, 2025.
- ^ "Orlando City SC". SAI Academy. Archived from the original on July 31, 2025. Retrieved July 31, 2025.