Uzi Tayou
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.jpg) Tayou in 2022 | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 28 April 1989 | ||
| Place of birth | Buea, Cameroon | ||
| Height | 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) | ||
| Position | Defender | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | St. Louis Ambush | ||
| Number | 70 | ||
| College career | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2008 | Tacoma Titans | ||
| 2009 | Garden City Broncbusters | ||
| 2010–2011 | West Virginia Mountaineers | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2012 | Real Maryland | 9 | (0) |
| 2013 | Northern Virginia Royals | 8 | (0) |
| 2013 | NJ-LUSO Parma | 1 | (0) |
| 2012–2015 | Las Vegas Legends (indoor) | 29 | (9) |
| 2015–2016 | Baltimore Blast (indoor) | 16 | (4) |
| 2016–2018 | Soles de Sonora (indoor) | 31 | (7) |
| 2017–2018 | FC Wichita | 20 | (?) |
| 2018 | Tulsa Roughnecks | 6 | (0) |
| 2018–2019 | Monterrey Flash (indoor) | 16 | (2) |
| 2019 | FC Wichita | 6 | (0) |
| 2021 | → Wichita Wings (loan; indoor) | 8 | (4) |
| 2019 | Golden State Force | 0 | (0) |
| 2019–2023 | Empire Strykers (indoor) | 58 | (3) |
| 2023–2024 | Texas Outlaws (indoor) | 21 | (9) |
| 2024– | St. Louis Ambush (indoor) | 1 | (0) |
| * Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 30 November 2024 | |||
Uzi Tayou (born 28 April 1989) is a Cameroonian footballer who currently plays for the St. Louis Ambush of the Major Arena Soccer League. Tayou won the MASL Championship with the Baltimore Blast in 2016.
During his career in the league, Tayou has played for the Las Vegas Legends,[1] Baltimore Blast, Soles de Sonora,[2] and Monterrey Flash,[3] Empire Strykers (formerly the Ontario Fury), and Texas Outlaws.[4] He has reached the MASL Ron Newman Cup Finals with three different teams and earned accolades including being named to the All-Star Game,[5] Defensive Player of the Year, and a league leader in blocked shots.[6]
In 2023, Tayou once again represented Team USA with the United States National Arena Soccer Team in international competitions,[7] including the WMF World Cup.
Tayou moved to from his native Cameroon to Las Vegas in 2006 and rose to prominence with a successful college soccer career[8] at West Virginia University, which included two NCAA Tournaments. Tayou signed his first indoor professional contract with the MASL in 2012, and then his first outdoor professional contract in 2018, joining the Tulsa Roughnecks of the United Soccer League.[9] In May 2021, Uzi and his brother Franck joined the Wichita Wings for the remainder of the Major Arena Soccer League 2 season.[10]
He is the older brother of fellow professional soccer player and MASL MVP Franck Tayou.
For his ongoing work to help communities off the field, Tayou was awarded the Ed Tepper Humanitarian of the Year for the 2018-19 season.[11] He also pioneered a health and fitness program[12] for residents of National CORE affordable housing communities in the Inland Empire.[13] He is a soccer coach and the founder and director of 1570 FC[14] and 1570 FC Junior Academy.