Midfielder
Danny Szetela
5' 11"
Biography of USMNT player Danny Szetela who left MLS for Spain and Italy before joining the NY Cosmos in the NASL.
Caps: 3
A Bradenton graduate in 2003, Danny Szetela spent three and a half years with the Columbus Crew before moving to Spanish club Racing de Santander in the summer of 2007. After a loan spell with Brescia, he returned to MLS with DC United midway through the 2009 season.
Summer 2007 also saw him hit the headlines with the USMNT U-20 team at the Canada World Cup. In tandem with a rampant Freddy Adu, he scored three goals in helping the team as far as the quarter-finals. Later in the year he made his full USMNT debut as part of a young roster called up by Bob Bradley for an exhibition match in Switzerland.
It wasn’t a bad debut at all. Szetela came late into the game with U20 team-mate Adu, and assisted on Michael Bradley’s game-winning goal in the 86th minute.
After leaving professional soccer in 2010, Szetela returned to the game as a member of the North American Soccer League’s New York Cosmos in the Fall of 2013. Stayed with the club when they joined the NPSL as Cosmos B in 2018. In 2021, he moved to Morris Elite in USL Two.
Photo by Howard C Smith – ISIPhotos.com
USMNT Experience
2007
Made debut as substitute for senior team in 1-0 exhibition win in Switzerland, registering an assist on game-winning goal. Scored three goals for U20 team at World Cup in Canada.
2005
Member of U20 squad at World Cup in Holland.
2003
Impressed with U17 team at World Cup in Finland.
Professional Experience
2019
Won the North Atlantic conference, finishing runners-up.
2018
Moved to the NPSL with Cosmos B, finishing 1st in the region and losing in the regional finals.
2017
Runner-up with the Cosmos in their final season in the NASL.
2016
Finished the season with a championship as a member of the Cosmos. Joined SF Delta after the Cosmos ceased operations.
2015
Won the Spring championship with the Cosmos.
2014
Finished 2nd in the Spring and 5th in the Fall with the Cosmos.
2013
Joined the NY Cosmos in the NASL. Won the Fall championship.
2010
Left DC after four appearances.
2008-09
On loan to Brescia where he made 26 appearances and scored a goal. Moved to DC United during the summer transfer window. Had four appearances for DC in MLS play, five more in the CONCACAF Champions League.
2007
Moved from Columbus to Racing de Santander after making just six appearances (four starts) for the Crew.
2006
Injuries limited him to four games (three starts) for Columbus. Registered one assist.
2005
Played 16 games (13 starts) for Columbus. Registered one assist.
2004
Played ten games overall (four starts) in first season for the Crew. Registered one assist.
