Orlando City
2025 Orlando City Season in Review: Zakaria Taifi
The Homegrown Player made the leap to the first team during the 2025 MLS season.
Orlando City signed Zakaria Taifi to a two-year first-team contract on May 17 with club options for 2027, 2028, and 2029. However, he made his MLS debut before that — on April 19 against CF Montreal after signing a short-term contract. The 19-year-old joined the club as a child, rising through the academy, playing for Orlando City B, and finally the first team. He’s one of three Homegrown Players to join the first team this season.
The defender and midfielder began the season as a member of the Young Lions, continuing his time with the second team. However, he earned a spot on the first-team roster and spent the majority of the season on the MLS side’s bench.
Let’s take a look at Taifi’s 2025 campaign.
Statistical Breakdown
The young player began the season as the starting right back for OCB, playing 15 games (all starts) and recording 1,326 minutes. He scored one goal and recorded two assists while being booked three times. His last appearance for the second team was on July 13, after which he was solely with the first team.
Taifi primarily came on late in games for the first team, helping to see out results or find a late goal. He made six league appearances off the bench, playing a total of 34 minutes. He didn’t contribute to any league goals, drawing three fouls and completing 64% of his passes.
In the U.S. Open Cup, Taifi came on for the final 28 minutes in the 5-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He also played in the first two Leagues Cup games, recording 11 minutes without contributing to any goals.
Best Game
Taifi’s best game was in the team’s May 7 U.S. Open Cup game against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. He came on in the 62nd minute for Cesar Araujo, playing the final 28 minutes. The defensive player had 24 touches in the game, including two in the Tampa Bay box, and took a shot that was off target. However, he completed 13 of his 15 passes (87%) and contributed defensively with a tackle and an interception. He also won three of his four duels (75%), helping the team see out the win.
2025 Final Grade
Taifi fell short of the 450 combined first-team minutes (regular season, playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, Leagues Cup) necessary to qualify for a season grade. Therefore, The Mane Land has to give him an incomplete rating for the 2025 campaign.
2026 Outlook
Taifi made a big leap during the 2025 season. Back in March, it looked like he would spend the entire year with OCB. However, several strong performances in MLS NEXT Pro saw the young player sign a first-team deal, and he was included on the bench 28 times in all competitions.
Whether Oscar Pareja sees Taifi as a defender or midfileder, he’ll likely remain a bench player next year. However, it’s a big jump for the 20-year-old as he’ll undoubtedly be on the team sheet to start next season. The amount of playing time he gets depends on factors like whether Alex Freeman returns or if Araujo and Eduard Atuesta return and/or remain healthy. Regardless, he has a chance to become an even greater part of the first team in his sophomore MLS season.
The club will have to make a decision on where his best position is. He was exclusively with the first team through the majority of 2025, but that might hinder him since he plays few minutes. As a result, Taifi could spend more time with the Young Lions in an attempt to continue developing the young player to where he can make a significant contribution to the first team in the coming years.