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Remembering three American players who played for Arsenal

By on December 18, 2024

gedion zelalem arsenal

While there might be plenty of controversial views surrounding Arsenal at times, nobody can deny the fact that the club has helped shape the careers of so many players. Although the United States of America is lagging behind many nations when it comes to football, some players from the country have managed to secure a move to Arsenal.

After all, players from America are at a distinct disadvantage. While nations like England and France have a fantastic infrastructure and specialise in producing talent, America doesn’t. A country where the NBA is watched by millions and fans adore American football and betting after looking at the latest NFL odds, producing American footballers just isn’t a priority. From the lack of developmental infrastructure to the cost of using football facilities in America, American players are up against it.

Despite the various obstacles that are in their way, some American players have turned to Arsenal Football Club to educate them in the sport. Most of them didn’t quite make it, but Arsenal deserve credit for giving them a chance to develop in the first place. Likewise, the Arsenal women’s team has also had some American players on its books in the past, with the women’s game being far more popular than the men’s game in the US.

With some American players choosing Arsenal as their ideal place to grow, let’s remember three of them below.

Gedion Zelalem

A player many Gunners will remember, Gedion Zelalem departed the club in 2019. The American International clearly had ability, but it wasn’t enough to see him dislodge some of the world-class stars that were ahead of him at the time. Like so many players, Zelalem decided to leave the club in search of more regular opportunities, and it appears to have been the correct call. The midfielder is now turning out for Croatian side Lokomotiva after a successful period playing for New York City and Den Bosch. Zelalem might not have made it at Arsenal, but after standing out for Olney Rangers during a Dallas Cup match and subsequently joining the club’s academy, it’s great to see him carving a career out for himself in another competition.

Danny Karbassiyoon

After being spotted playing for Roanoke Star during a pre-season tour in the United States of America, Arsenal offered Danny Karbassiyoon a deal. The promising defender ultimately failed to make it at the Gunners, but he did make three appearances during his time at the club. Despite failing to make an impact on the pitch in an Arsenal shirt, Danny Karbassiyoon is now a key part of the club’s scouting team as he aims to identify American talent in the IT department. It’s fair to say Danny Karbassiyoon just didn’t succeed as a footballer, but his exploits in the game are now being utilised by the club as he attempts to find the next rising star from his home country.

Heather O’Reilly

Ending with the Arsenal Women’s team now, and it’s fair to say that America has a strong setup when it comes to the women’s sport in the country. A player to benefit from that is Heather O’Reilly, who was the former midfielder playing for the Gunners in 2017 after shining for Sky Blue FC. A three-time Olympic gold medalist who was also a key part of the USA team that won the 2015 World Cup, Heather O’Reilly had an excellent career in the game. Hopefully, in time, the men’s game in America can have a similar infrastructure in place and, subsequently, some more male players can replicate Heather O’Reilly’s rise to the very top of the sport.