With a 21st-minute header on Saturday night, Austin FC forward Gyasi Zardes etched his name into the MLS history books.
Zardes‘ towering header gave Austin a 1-0 lead in the intra-state rivalry game with Houston Dynamo, and it also stood as the California native’s 100th goal in Major League Soccer. Zardes is now one of only 13 players ever to score at least 100 goals in the competition, which began play less than 30 years ago.
Zardes: A player who can score in many ways
Zardes, who broke through as an LA Galaxy player in 2013, has spent his entire 281-game pro career in MLS. He has proven himself as a consistent goalscorer, recording four seasons with at least 12 goals and winning the MLS Comeback Player of the Year Award in 2018. He has also won the MLS Cup twice.
In addition, Zardes has won the CONCACAF Gold Cup twice as a member of the United Statesnational team. He has made 68 appearances for the USMNT and scored 14 international goals.
Can Zardes end his career as Major League Soccer’s all-time top scorer?
With his 100th goal, Zardes has joined some renowned company. But he has more work to do to catch the top scorers in MLS history.
The league’s all-time top scorer is Chris Wondolowski, who finished his career with 171 goals. Landon Donovan is next on the list with 145 goals, followed by Chicago Fire‘s Kei Kamara, Major League Soccer‘s active leader in goals with 143.
Zardes has a contract with Austin through the 2025 season, and it includes a club option for 2026. He has a couple years yet to climb even higher up the list.