Zara Chavoshi
Zara Sona Chavoshi (born December 6, 2002) is a professional soccer player who plays as a defender for the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Born in the United States to Canadian parents, she represents Canada internationally. Chavoshi played college soccer for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and helped lead the team to their first national title game appearance.
.jpg) Chavoshi with Wake Forest in 2024 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Zara Sona Chavoshi | ||
| Date of birth | December 6, 2002 | ||
| Place of birth | Newark, Delaware, United States | ||
| Height | 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Orlando Pride | ||
| Number | 16 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| McLean Soccer | |||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2024 | Wake Forest Demon Deacons | 74 | (2) |
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2022 | McLean Soccer | 4 | (0) |
| 2023 | Racing Louisville FC B | 2 | (0) |
| 2025– | Orlando Pride | 10 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022 | Canada U20 | 1 | (0) |
| 2025– | Canada | 2 | (1) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of November 16, 2025 ‡ National team caps and goals as of June 27, 2025 | |||
Zara Sona Chavoshi (born December 6, 2002) is a professional soccer player who plays as a defender for the Orlando Pride of the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL). Born in the United States to Canadian parents, she represents Canada internationally.
Chavoshi played college soccer for the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and helped lead the team to their first national title game appearance.
Early life
[edit]Born in Newark, Delaware, Chavoshi grew up in Potomac, Maryland, and began playing soccer at age five. She attended Thomas S. Wootton High School in Rockville, Maryland, and played club soccer for McLean Youth Soccer, winning two ECNL championships.[1][2]
College career
[edit]Chavoshi played 18 games (all starts) in her freshman season with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons in 2021. She played every minute in the postseason as Wake Forest made the semifinals of the ACC tournament, falling to Florida State, and the second round of the NCAA tournament, falling to Michigan.[2] In her sophomore season, she played 16 games (14 starts), missing the very start of the season while at the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup. Wake Forest lost to South Carolina in the first round of the NCAA tournament.[2] In her junior season, she featured at right back and made 15 appearances (14 starts), helping hold opponents to a program-record-low 15 goals. Wake Forest lost to Clemson in the first round of the ACC tournament and missed the NCAA tournament.[2]
Chavoshi started all 24 games and played the most minutes on the team in her final season in 2024, helping Wake Forest achieve one of its best-ever seasons as one of many seniors on the team. Playing at center back alongside Laurel Ansbrow, she helped shut out No. 2 Virginia 3–0 and No. 1 Stanford 1–0, making Wake Forest the first team to beat the top two ranked teams consecutively. She also helped defeat defending national champions Florida State 4–1, ending their 32–game unbeaten streak.[3][4] They lost to Florida State on penalties after a 1–1 draw in the semifinals of the ACC tournament.[2] In the NCAA tournament, she helped lead Wake Forest to their first national title game in program history, beating Stanford 1–0 in the semifinals before losing 1–0 to North Carolina in the final.[2][5] After the season, she was named second-team All-ACC, third-team All-American by TopDrawerSoccer, and fourth-team All-American by United Soccer Coaches.[6]
Club career
[edit]In 2022, Chavoshi played with McLean Soccer in the USL W League.[7] In 2023, she played with Racing Louisville FC B in the USL W League.[8]
The Orlando Pride announced on January 13, 2025, that they had signed Chavoshi to her first professional contract, a one-year deal. She was the team's first college signing after the abolition of the college draft.[9] She made her professional debut on March 23, coming on as a late substitute for Angelina in a 2–0 win against NJ/NY Gotham FC.[10] On May 3, in her first professional start, she played 90 minutes and cleared a Reilyn Turner shot off the goal line as the Pride lost 1–0 away to the Portland Thorns.[11]
International career
[edit]Chavoshi received her first call-up to the Canada youth national team in July 2022. She was selected to the roster for the 2022 FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup and started one game in the competition, a 3–1 loss to Nigeria, as Canada finished bottom of their group.[1] Chavoshi was called into training camp with the United States under-23 team, practicing alongside the senior national team, in March 2025.[12]
Two months later, in May 2025, Chavoshi received her first senior call-up with the Canadian national team before two friendlies against Haiti.[13] She made her senior international debut on June 3, starting in a 3–1 victory over Haiti.[14] On June 27, 2025, she scored her first international goal in a 4-1 victory over Costa Rica.[15]
Career statistics
[edit]International goals
[edit]- Scores and results list Canada's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Chavoshi goal.
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | June 27, 2025 | BMO Field, Toronto, Canada |  Costa Rica |
3–1 | 4–1 | Friendly |
Personal life
[edit]Chavoshi is one of three children born to Soheil and Cindy Tran-Chavoshi.[2] Her father is originally from Kermanshah, Iran; her mother from Cần Thơ, Vietnam.[1] Both of her parents immigrated to Canada, where they met and became citizens, before moving to the United States, where Chavoshi was born.[16]
Honors and awards
[edit]Individual
- Fourth-team All-American: 2024
- Second-team All-ACC: 2024
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Zara Chavoshi". Canadian Soccer Association. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ a b c d e f g "Zara Chavoshi". Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Olorunfemi, Victor (December 3, 2024). "Wake Forest's Path to Women's College Cup". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ "2024 Women's Soccer Cumulative Statistics". Wake Forest Demon Deacons. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Olorunfemi, Victor (December 9, 2024). "College Cup: Women's Final Preview". TopDrawerSoccer. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ "2024 Women's DI Postseason Awards". TopDrawerSoccer. December 18, 2024. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ "Zara Chavoshi 2022 USL W League stats". USL W League.
- ^ "Racing announces W League team roster ahead of 2023 campaign". Racing Louisville FC. May 8, 2023.
- ^ Rollins, Sean (January 13, 2025). "Orlando Pride Sign Defender Zara Chavoshi to One-Year Deal". The Mane Land. Retrieved January 13, 2025.
- ^ Rollins, Sean (March 23, 2025). "Orlando Pride vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC: Final Score 2-0 As Pride Take Three Points Away From Home". The Mane Land. Retrieved March 23, 2025.
- ^ Rohe, David (May 3, 2025). "Orlando Pride vs. Portland Thorns: Final Score 1-0 as Pride Fail to Score at Providence Park". The Mane Land. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
- ^ "24 Players Called Up for U.S. U-23 Women's National Team Training Camp in Los Angeles". United States Soccer Federation. March 26, 2025. Retrieved March 26, 2025.
- ^ "CANWNT Roster Unveiled for Home Friendlies Against Haiti". Canadian Soccer Association. May 20, 2025. Retrieved May 20, 2025.
- ^ Rainbird, Daniel (June 4, 2025). "Viens, Ward lead Canada past Haiti before rowdy crowd in women's soccer friendly". CBC Sports.
- ^ Davidson, Neil (June 28, 2025). "Canada scores 4 late goals to defeat Costa Rica 4-1 in women's soccer friendly in Toronto". CBC Sports.
- ^ "Interview: National Women's Soccer League's Zara Chavoshi & Lily Nabet". Gol Bezan. March 8, 2025. 2:55–3:35 – via YouTube.
External links
[edit]
- Zara Chavoshi at Soccerway.com
- Zara Chavoshi at kicker (in German)
