player_details

name

Nkosi Tafari

pronunciation

n-KOH-si tuh-far-eye

height

6' 4"

weight

192 lbs

date_of_birth

3.23.1997 (29)

birthplace

Manhattan, NY, USA

position

defense

roster_category

senior
latest_news
latest_news
video_latest
video_latest
career_summary

2025 (Los Angeles Football Club) 

  • came on when Aaron Long suffered a season-ending injury vs. DAL on 7/12/25, then made 19 straight starts to end the season, including Leagues Cup and MLS Cup Playoffs 

  • in 14 of those 19 starts, LAFC conceded one or zero goals, including five clean sheets 

  • overall, started 20 of 25 MLS regular-season appearances, logging 1,833 minutes  

  • appeared in three MLS Cup Playoff matches (157 minutes) 

  • logged 270 minutes in Leagues Cup (three matches) and appeared in three Concacaf Champions Cup matches

2024 (FC Dallas) 

  • appeared in 28 matches (25 starts), logging 2,251 minutes and scoring three goals

2023 (FC Dallas) 

  • appeared in 30 matches (27 starts), recording 2,489 minutes, with three goals and three assists

2022 (FC Dallas) 

  • appeared in 27 matches (11 starts), recording 1,326 minutes

2021 (FC Dallas) 

  • appeared in 22 matches (21 starts), recording 1,824 minutes, with one goal and one assist 

  • drafted 14th overall by FC Dallas in the 2020 MLS SuperDraft

INTERNATIONAL 

  • earned an invitation to the U.S. National Team January Training Camp in January 2024

COLLEGE  

  • began his college career at UConn (University of Connecticut), making 46 appearances between 2016 and 2018, scoring one goal and tallying one assist

  • played his senior season (2019) at Seattle University, making 20 appearances and again tallying a single goal and an assist

  • named WAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2019 and United Soccer Coaches All-Region First Team

PERSONAL 

  • goes by his middle name, Tafari, which means “he who inspires awe” in Amharic 

  • fashion and style enthusiast