05/26/2026
Zavier Gozo believes he’s “much more than just a soccer player.”
“I think first of all, I’m a child of God and that’s what I’m here to be,” the teenager told me while sitting in the east stands of America First Field after training earlier this month, still dressed in his gray training kit. “And I’m here to help people and share his light and share his word.
"I feel like if I’m right with my faith, I play well on the field and I am happier off the field."
Zavier Gozo has built his life and his soccer career on the foundation of his faith.
As a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Gozo regularly attends the temple, a dedicated house of worship where church members participate in sacred ordinances. Gozo also studies the church’s Sunday School curriculum daily.
“I always say God has a perfect plan for me and whatever happens is what’s supposed to happen,” he said. “So I think that helps me play free during the games and live my life. Whether good or bad happens, I feel like it’s what’s meant for me.”
The morning before a Real Salt Lake match, you’ll find Gozo at what Latter-day Saints believe is the House of the Lord. Last year, he decided to include worshipping in the temple as part of his prematch routine. Inside the temple, he’s reminded of “what I’m really here for and what life really means to me.”
Being able to come home after every training session and match helps the young star never “get too low or too high.”
“Whether I do good or do bad, I go home. I hug my mom,” he said.
https://www.deseret.com/sports/2026/05/25/who-is-zavier-gozo-real-salt-lake-champions-league-hopeful/
