Adrian Zendejas

American professional soccer player (born 1995)
Adrian Zendejas
Personal information
Full name Adrián Zendejas Rodríguez
Date of birth (1995-08-30) August 30, 1995 (age 28)
Place of birth Chula Vista, California, United States
Height 1.95 m (6 ft 5 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Team information
Current team
Skövde AIK
Youth career
2008–2011 Nomads SC
2012–2013 San Diego Surf
2014–2016 Tijuana
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2016 Swope Park Rangers 5 (0)
2017–2019 Sporting Kansas City 1 (0)
2017–2019 → Swope Park Rangers (loan) 42 (0)
2020 Nashville SC 0 (0)
2020–2021 Minnesota United 0 (0)
2021El Paso Locomotive (loan) 3 (0)
2022–2023 Charlotte FC 0 (0)
2022 → Charlotte Independence (loan) 23 (0)
2023 → Miami FC (loan) 22 (0)
2024– Skövde AIK 0 (0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 15:48, 21 March 2024 (UTC)

Adrián Zendejas Rodríguez (born August 30, 1995) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper for Skövde AIK.

Career

Youth

Zendejas grew up playing with Nomads SC and San Diego Surf of the U.S. Soccer Development Academy,[1] and for Hilltop High School,[2] before joining the under-20s of Liga MX side Tijuana.[3]

Professional

On June 30, 2016, Zendejas signed with United Soccer League side Swope Park Rangers.[4] He went 8-0-0 in his first eight starts. In helping Rangers to the USL Cup Final, he had a 0.36 goals against average and 0.87 save percentage,[5] both ranking best in the USL among all goalkeepers with at least eight appearances.[6]

In December 2016, Zendejas signed a Major League Soccer contract with Sporting Kansas City.[7] He began the 2017 MLS season as backup to Tim Melia, before re-joining Rangers on loan from Sporting KC.[8] In 25 USL appearances, he had 10 shutouts and a goals-against-average of 0.91, again regarded as one of USL's top goalkeepers. In the USL Cup Playoffs against OKC Energy, after making two saves in regulation, one save in extra time, and four saves in the penalty shootout, Zendejas himself scored the game-winning penalty kick that sent Swope Park to the USL Cup Final again.[9]

In 2018, Zendejas split time between starting on loan at Swope Park in USL and backing up Tim Melia in MLS. On June 6, Zendejas made his Sporting KC debut in the fourth round of the U.S. Open Cup, shutting out Real Salt Lake over 90 minutes in a 2-0 victory. On June 18, he went 90 minutes again for Sporting KC in the Open Cup, in the Round of 16 against FC Dallas, notching five saves in a 3-2 victory.[10]

On November 19, 2019, Zendejas was traded to Nashville SC in exchange for $125,000 of Targeted Allocation Money and $50,000 of General Allocation Money.[11]

On September 18, 2020, Zendejas was traded again, this time to Minnesota United in exchange for a fourth round 2021 MLS SuperDraft pick and up to $100,000 in General Allocation Money if he meets certain performance-based metrics for Minnesota.[12]

On May 21, 2021, Minnesota loaned Zendejas to El Paso Locomotive of the USL Championship.[13]

On January 16, 2022, Zendejas joined Charlotte FC as a free agent ahead of their inaugural season in MLS.[14]

On January 17, 2023, Zendejas was loaned to USL Championship side Miami FC.[15] He was released by Charlotte following their 2023 season.[16]

In March 2024, Zendejas joined Swedish Superettan club Skövde AIK on a contract until the end of the 2024 season with the option for an extension.[17]

International

Zendejas is eligible to play for the United States due to his birth and upbringing in Chula Vista, California, and for Mexico through parentage.[18] He has expressed an interest in representing the United States.[19]

Career statistics

Club

As of match played August 25, 2019[20]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Swope Park Rangers 2016 USL 5 0 4[a] 0 9 0
Sporting Kansas City 2017 MLS 0 0 1 0 1 0
2018 0 0 2 0 2 0
2019 1 0 1 0 1[b] 0 3 0
Total 1 0 4 0 1 0 0 0 6 0
Swope Park Rangers

(loan)

2017 USL 22 0 3[a] 0 25 0
2018 12 0 12 0
2019 USLC 8 0 9 0
Total 47 0 0 0 0 0 7 0 45 0
Nashville SC 2020 MLS 0 0 0 0
Minnesota United 2020 MLS 0 0 0 0
Career total 48 0 4 0 1 0 7 0 60 0
  1. ^ a b Appearances in USL Championship Playoffs
  2. ^ Appearances in CONCACAF Champions League

References

  1. ^ "Adrian Zendejas". U.S. Soccer Development Academy. 2013-06-01.
  2. ^ "Sporting KC vs. Colorado Rapids game guide". Sporting Kansas City. 2017-04-13.
  3. ^ "Club Tijuana Xoloitzcuintles de Caliente". xolos.com.mx. Archived from the original on 2016-09-24. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  4. ^ "Swope Park Rangers sign goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas | Sporting Kansas City". sportingkc.com. Retrieved 2016-09-23.
  5. ^ "Adrian Zendejas USL profile". USL Soccer. 2016-10-04.
  6. ^ "2016 USL individual goalkeeper statistics". USL Soccer. 2016-10-04.
  7. ^ "Adrian Zendejas Sporting KC profile". Sporting Kansas City. 2017-04-13.
  8. ^ "Loan Update: Goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas recalled by Sporting KC". Sporting Kansas City. 2017-03-30.
  9. ^ "USL Best of 2017 – Adrian Zendejas". USL Soccer. 2018-02-23.
  10. ^ "Adrian Zendejas". Sporting Kansas City. 2019-02-14.
  11. ^ "Catch up on all the trades following the MLS Expansion Draft". Mlssoccer.com. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  12. ^ "MNUFC Signs Adrian Zendejas | Minnesota United FC". Mnufc.com. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  13. ^ "El Paso Acquires Adrian Zendejas on Loan from Minnesota United FC". USLChampionship.com. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  14. ^ "Charlotte FC sign free-agent goalkeeper Adrián Zendejas". Mlssoccer.com. Retrieved 1 February 2022.
  15. ^ "Charlotte FC Loans Goalkeeper Adrian Zendejas to Miami FC". CharlotteFootballClub.ccom. Charlotte FC. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  16. ^ Club, Charlotte Football. "Charlotte FC Announces End of Season Roster Decisions | Charlotte FC". Charlotte Football Club.
  17. ^ "Nyförvärv på plats" [New acquisitions on site]. www.skovdeaik.se (in Swedish). 18 March 2024. Retrieved 21 March 2024.
  18. ^ "Xolos: ¿Quién es Adrián Zendejas?". San Diego Red. 6 July 2015.
  19. ^ "Getting to know Adrian Zendejas". SB Nation. 29 April 2017.
  20. ^ Adrian Zendejas at Soccerway. Retrieved 19 January 2021.

External links

  • Adrian Zendejas at Soccerway