Sporting Kansas City assistant coach Kerry Zavagnin’s collegiate roots resurfaced this week, as he was voted to the University of North Carolina Men’s Soccer All-Time Best XI. He’s joined on the team by a slew of long-time MLS and national team legends, including Gregg Berhalter, Eddie Pope, Dax McCarty and fellow former Wizard Carey Talley.
Zavagnin represented the Tar Heels from 1992-1995 before starting his professional career with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars in 1997. He joined the then Kansas City Wizards in 2000 and has remained with the club ever since. Zavagnin helped the side win the 2000 MLS Cup and 2004 U.S. Open Cup as a player, before claiming the 2013 MLS Cup and 2012, 2015 and 2017 Open Cups as a coach.
On an individual level, Zavagnin was named an MLS All-Star and was an MLS Best XI selection in 2004 and earned the team’s Defender of the Year honor in 2001. He played 237 games (228 starts) and logged 20,516 minutes for Kansas City, setting team records in both categories before they were surpassed by Matt Besler. He scored eight goals and added 22 assists in his nine seasons in Kansas City.
Zavagnin represented the U.S. Men’s National Team 21 times, with the team going 15-2-4 when he appeared.
