Xavi Gnaulati
{{Short description|American soccer player (born 2005)}}
{{Infobox football biography
| name = Xavi Gnaulati
| image = xavi-gnaulati-mbfc.jpg
| caption = Gnaulati with Monterey Bay in April 2025
| fullname = Xavi Milad Gnaulati
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|2005|1|22}}
| birth_place = {{nowrap|San Diego, California, United States}}
| height = 1.75 m
| currentclub = Monterey Bay
| clubnumber = 88
| position = Central midfielder
| youthyears1 = 2010–2023
| youthclubs1 = San Diego Surf
| years1 = 2021–2023
| clubs1 = San Diego Loyal
| caps1 = 6
| goals1 = 2
| years2 = 2024–
| clubs2 = Monterey Bay
| caps2 = 25
| goals2 = 1
| nationalyears1 =
| nationalteam1 =
| nationalcaps1 =
| nationalgoals1 =
| club-update = April 12, 2025
| ntupdate =
}}
Xavi Milad Gnaulati (born January 22, 2005) is an American soccer player who plays as a midfielder for Monterey Bay FC.
Early career
Xavi Gnaulati was born and raised in San Diego County, California, playing youth soccer for San Diego Surf and winning the State Cup Championship with them in 2014.{{cite web |date=2014-03-14 |title=Comeback kids clinch soccer crown |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/lifestyle/people/sdut-comeback-kids-clinch-soccer-crown-2014mar14-story.html |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune }} On July 1, 2023, Gnaulati scored in the final to help Surf win the ECNL National Championship.{{Cite web |title=ECNL Boys Playoffs: San Diego Surf win U19s {{!}} Club Soccer {{!}} Youth Soccer |url=https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/ecnl-boys-playoffs:-san-diego-surf-win-u19s_aid52208 |access-date=2023-07-19 |website=TopDrawerSoccer.com |language=en}}
Club career
=San Diego Loyal=
In April 2021, Gnaulati joined San Diego Loyal in the USL Championship and their inaugural USL Academy team, Loyal Select.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-14 |title=San Diego Loyal sign 4 local players |url=https://fox5sandiego.com/sports/san-diego-loyal-sign-4-local-players/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=FOX 5 San Diego |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-04-16 |title=16-YEAR-OLD SAN DIEGO PLAYER GNAULATI SIGNS WITH SD LOYAL • SoccerToday |url=https://www.soccertoday.com/16-year-old-san-diego-player-gnaulati-signs-with-sd-loyal/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=SoccerToday |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Slane |first=Bill |date=2021-04-15 |title=The Coast News Group |url=https://thecoastnews.com/encinitas-youth-signs-with-san-diego-loyal-soccer-club/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=The Coast News Group |language=en-US}} He first played for the club in a training match against MLS side LA Galaxy in March 2021 and made his public debut as a substitute in a friendly match against Liga MX side Club Tijuana on July 10.{{Cite web |date=2021-04-07 |title='Mind-Blowing' Fortune: Loyal Teen Signee Scored Goal vs. MLS Galaxy |url=https://timesofsandiego.com/sports/2021/04/06/mind-blowing-fortune-loyal-teen-signee-scored-goal-vs-mls-galaxy/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=Times of San Diego |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-10 |title=San Diego Loyal Plays to 1-0 Loss in Friendly with Club Tijuana in Night of Fútbol at USD |url=https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/san-diego-loyal-plays-to-1-0-loss-in-friendly-with-club-tijuana-in-night-of-fxfatbol-at-usd/n-5718245 |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=OurSports Central |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-14 |title=SD LOYAL SC FOLLOWS UP XOLOS GAME WITH ORANGE COUNTY SC MATCHUP • SoccerToday |url=https://www.soccertoday.com/sd-loyal-sc-follows-up-xolos-game-with-orange-county-sc-matchup/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=SoccerToday |language=en-US}}
Gnaulati made his professional debut for San Diego Loyal on April 6, 2022, during the 2022 season, at the age of 17 under manager Landon Donovan in the Loyal's inaugural U.S. Open Cup match against NISA side Albion San Diego, starting the match and playing 79 minutes before being substituted for Alejandro Guido in a 2–1 win.{{Cite web |title=ASC San Diego vs. San Diego Loyal SC - Football Match Line-Ups - April 6, 2022 - ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/lineups/_/gameId/632593 |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=ESPN.com |language=en}}{{Cite tweet |url=https://twitter.com/sandiegoloyal/status/1511880233711931392 |number=1511880233711931392 |title=Allow us to introduce ourselves... |access-date=2023-03-06 |user=SanDiegoLoyal |language=en}}
File:Xavi-gnaulati.jpg in February 2023]]
Gnaulati made his first appearance of the 2023 season in his following competitive match for the club, winning a penalty as well as providing a secondary assist for a 2–0 win during their 2023 U.S. Open Cup opener against Albion San Diego on April 5, 2023.{{cite web | url=https://www.sdloyal.com/news/2023/04/05/sd-loyal-advances-to-u-s-open-cup-third-round-after-2-0-win-vs-albion-san-diego/ | title=SD Loyal Advances to U.S. Open Cup Third Round After 2-0 Win vs. Albion San Diego }} Following a substitute appearance in a friendly match against German Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund on July 27, Gnaulati signed his first professional contract with San Diego Loyal the following day on July 28.{{cite web | url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/sports/soccer/san-diego-loyal-sc/story/2023-07-27/dortmund-scores-early-before-loyal-stiffens-up-in-soccer-friendly-at-snapdragon-stadium | title=Loyal's starters hang with German powerhouse in nationally-televised match at Snapdragon Stadium | date=28 July 2023 }}{{cite web | url=https://www.sdloyal.com/news/2023/07/28/sd-loyal-signs-loyal-select-player-xavi-gnaulati-to-professional-contract/ | title=SD Loyal Signs Loyal Select Player Xavi Gnaulati to Professional Contract }}{{cite web | url=https://www.kpbs.org/news/local/2023/07/28/san-diego-loyal-signs-encinitas-high-schooler-xavi-gnaulati-to-professional-contract | title=San Diego Loyal signs Encinitas high schooler Xavi Gnaulati to professional contract | date=28 July 2023 }}
Gnaulati was given his USL Championship debut on August 9, 2023, at the age of 18 against Loudoun United at Torero Stadium during the 2023 season.https://twitter.com/SanDiegoLoyal/status/1689459937804722176
Gnaulati scored his first professional goal on September 20, scoring a brace in the 90th and 90+3rd minute of a league game in a 3–2 comeback win against Monterey Bay FC at Cardinale Stadium.https://www.uslchampionship.com/montereybay-sandiegoloyal-2345967https://www.montereyherald.com/2023/09/20/pro-soccer-union-suffer-crushing-loss-to-san-diego/ He was subsequently named in the Team of the Week for his performance.https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1285627
=Monterey Bay=
Gnaulati became a free agent following the folding of San Diego Loyal after the 2023 USL Championship season. He joined Monterey Bay FC on December 6, 2023, on a one-year contract, with an option for a second year, ahead of the 2024 USL Championship season.{{Cite web |title=Monterey Bay F.C. Signs 18-Year-Old Former San Diego Loyal SC Midfielder Xavi Gnaulati |url=https://www.montereybayfc.com/news/2023/12/06/mbfc-signs-xavi-gnaulati/ |access-date=2023-12-06 |website=Monterey Bay Football Club {{!}} USL Championship |language=en-US}} He scored his first league goal for the club on October 10, 2024 against Sacramento Republic, winning the league's Goal of the Week award for his long-range strike.https://www.uslchampionship.com/news_article/show/1320803 After an impressive impact in his first season, Gnaulati's contract was extended ahead of the following 2025 season.https://www.montereybayfc.com/news/2024/12/23/gnaulati-extended/ He scored his first goal of the 2025 season on March 19, 2025, scoring a brace in the U.S. Open Cup against San Francisco Soccer Football League side International San Francisco.https://www.montereyherald.com/2025/03/19/pro-soccer-monterey-bay-opens-us-cup-with-four-goal-explosion/ In the following U.S. Open Cup match, he scored a goal against NPSL side El Farolito on April 1, 2025, bringing his tally to three goals in two cup matches for the season, and becoming joint top scorer of the 2025 U.S. Open Cup.https://kion546.com/news/2025/04/02/monterey-bay-fcs-open-cup-run-ends/
International career
=Youth=
In January 2019, Gnaulati was called up for the United States under-14 camp in Carson, California.{{Cite web |title=Eighty Players Called in for YNT U-14 TID West Region Mini-Camp |url=https://www.ussoccer.com/stories/2019/01/eighty-players-called-in-for-ynt-u14-tid-west-region-minicamp |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=www.ussoccer.com |language=en}} He was called up again for a United States youth team camp in May 2021.{{Cite web |last=McHugh |first=Alana |title=TWENTY Surf Players Called Up to YNT Camps! |url=https://www.surfsoccer.com/2021/05/17/surf-ynt-call-ups/ |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=San Diego Surf Soccer Club |date=17 May 2021 |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=YNT Regional ID 2005 - Southern Cal {{!}} Club Soccer {{!}} Youth Soccer |url=https://www.topdrawersoccer.com/club-soccer-articles/ynt-regional-id-2005-southern-cal_aid49443 |access-date=2022-04-07 |website=TopDrawerSoccer.com |language=en}}
Career statistics
{{updated|October 23, 2023}}{{Cite web|url=https://int.soccerway.com/players/xavi-gnaulati/700331/|title = USA - X. Gnaulati - Profile with news, career statistics and history - Soccerway}}
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" | |||||||
| rowspan="2"|Club
!rowspan="2"|Division !rowspan="2"|Season !colspan="2"|League !colspan="2"|Cup !colspan="2"|Other !colspan="2"|Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| rowspan="3"|San Diego Loyal SC
|rowspan="3"|USL Championship |2021 |0 | 0 | colspan=2|— | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2022
|0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 2023
|6 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 2 |
| colspan=3|Career total
!6 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 2 |
Honours
San Diego Surf
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Soccerway|xavi-gnaulati/700331}}
{{Monterey Bay FC squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Gnaulati, Xavi}}
Category:American men's soccer players
Category:Men's association football midfielders
Category:Soccer players from San Diego
Category:Sportspeople of Iranian descent
Category:American people of Iranian descent
Category:American people of Italian descent
Category:USL Championship players
Category:San Diego Loyal SC players