Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo named MLS All-Star First XI, a first for Utah native
Jun 5, 2026, 8:33 AM | Updated: 12:33 pm
Real Salt Lake midfielder Zavier Gozo (72) shoots past San Diego FC defender Osvald Søe (17) during the first half of a Major League Soccer game at America First Field in Sandy on Saturday, April 18, 2026. (Photo: Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
(Photo: Rio Giancarlo, Deseret News)
SANDY — Zavier Gozo’s breakout season continued Friday during Major League soccer’s international break during the FIFA men’s World Cup.
The 19-year-old Real Salt Lake attacker who grew up in Eagle Mountain was named to the league’s MLS All-Star First XI on Thursday morning, making him eligible to make his first MLS All-Star appearance July 29 at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
Gozo is the third homegrown player from the RSL Academy to earn MLS All-Star recognition, joining Justen Glad and Aaron Herrera, and the first-ever Utah native to receive such an honor.
“I’m very grateful to all the fans, players and media across the league for recognizing me with this prestigious honor,” he said in a statement from the club. “I look forward to hopefully having a few of my RSL teammates join me in Charlotte, and I’ll be very excited to get back on the field and get things going again later this summer.”
The fourth-year professional has six goals and five assists in 1,237 minutes of his second full season with Salt Lake, potentially fast-tracking the speedy forward-turned-wing-back towards overseas conversations. Gozo has been open about his desire to play in Europe — potentially as early as the summer transfer window following the World Cup — though no move has been reported to be imminent.
But the accolades continue to pile up for the rising star who scored his first MLS goal just two days after graduating from high school last year, putting the creative goal scorer with the middle name “Didier” in a nod to his father’s Ivorian heritage in an increasing number of conversations.
Where ever he goes, Gozo doesn’t just represent his family and his club — but the entire state of Utah. A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who speaks openly about his faith, Gozo can just as easily in the crowd supporting his older brother Elijah at Utah Valley and girlfriend Afton Perry at BYU as often as he stays after training to perfect his own craft.
The support — and feedback — runs both ways.
“She watches my games and she sees what I don’t,” he told KSL TV recently.
But his faith has guided every aspect of his life, he says — including the decision to sign a professional contract with Real Salt Lake’s third-division reserve squad Real Monarchs at just 15 years old.
“A majority of my life, I thought I was going to serve a mission. Being signed at 15, obviously plans changed,” he said. “If I’m going to do this, I have to make the most of it and be a missionary without the tag.”
Gozo was even thought to be a darkhorse candidate for Mauricio Pochettino’s roster to represent the United States on home soil, though the teenager was ultimately left off the final 26-man list along with RSL teammate Diego Luna.
For now, he seems as close to a lock for the United States’ 2030 roster — assuming the Yanks qualify for the quadrennial event that will be hosted by Morocco, Portugal and Spain — as perhaps any 19-year-old can be considered four years before selection.
“I think that being me is what got me here,” he said, “and being me is what will get me farther than where I am now.”
Luna and RSL teammates DeAndre Yedlin and left wing back Juan Manuel Sanabria were also among the early vote leaders in mid-May, along with MLS superstars like LAFC forward Son Heung-Min, Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, and Nashville SC star Hany Mukhtar.
The annual mid-summer showcase pitting the best in MLS against an all-star roster from Mexico’s Liga MX kicks off Wednesday, July 29 at Charlotte FC”s Bank of America Stadium (6 p.m. MT, Apple TV). Among the 26-man roster from each team, 11 players were determined by a vote of MLS fans, players and media through May 21; 13 will be selected by MLS All-Star and Charlotte FC head coach Dean Smith; and two players will be selected by MLS commissioner Don Garber.
2026 MLS All-Star Game First XI:
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Goalkeeper (1): Brian Schwake (Nashville SC)
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Left Back (1): Anthony Markanich (Minnesota United FC)
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Center Backs (2): Mbekezeli Mbokazi (Chicago Fire FC), Tim Ream (Charlotte FC)
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Right Back (1): Andy Najar (Nashville SC)
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Defensive Midfielder (1): Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
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Attacking Midfielders (2): Zavier Gozo (Real Salt Lake), Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC)
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Forwards (3): Hugo Cuypers (Chicago Fire FC), Son Heung-Min (LAFC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)
With a highlight reel like this, it’s no surprise he was selected in the All-Star First XI pic.twitter.com/5ZEvZfpKF1
— Real Salt Lake (@realsaltlake) June 5, 2026
