Players

Forward Eamon Zayed was brought in to Indy Eleven by Tim Hankinson to bag goals in bunches in 2016, and "Big Z" delivered ... and Hankinson and fans of the "Boys in Blue" now get to have the same expectations in 2017.

The 33-year-old Irish talisman rewrote the record books on numerous occasions in his debut season, his 15 regular season goals (2nd most in the NASL across the regular season) crushing not only the club's single-season record in the category, but Indy Eleven's all-time mark as well. Zayed increasingly played the facilitor role as well, ending the season as Indy's co-leader in assist with 6 helpers (alongside Dylan Mares).

Another first by Zayed came on June 11, when the first hat trick scored in NASL action by an Indy Eleven player lifted "Indiana's Team" to a near-impossible 4-1 win over Carolina that garnered the "Boys in Blue" their first piece of hardware, the Spring Season title. Almost as impressive as Zayed's prolific scoring prowess was his stability, as the Libyan international was the team's co-leader in games started and played and second in minutes played.

2016 Statistics
NASL Regular Season:  31 GP/30 GS  | 2,686  MIN  |  15G / 6A
The Championship:  2 GP/2 GS  |  210 MIN  |  0G / 0A
US Open Cup: 2 GP/1 GS  |  165 MIN  |  1G / 0A
TOTAL:  35 GP/33 GS  |  3,061 MIN  |  16G / 6A

Zayed came to Indy Eleven boasting national team experience and accolades across the globe including the League of Ireland Player of the Year award in 2011 while scoring 23 goals for Derry City. He was also named to the league’s team of the season for helping Derry City qualify for the European championships.

A prolific 6’2” striker, Zayed was voted Goal.com’s World Player of the Week for his 10-minute hat trick in Iran’s Tehran Derby while representing Persepolis in 2012. Later in the season, the veteran attacker logged two hat tricks, raising his tally to 12 goals in 19 games for the Iranian club.

Zayed chose to remain in Iran for the remainder of the 2013 season and signed with Aluminium Hormozgan where he notched three goals in 10 appearances to round out his 2013 season.

His most recent appearance on European soil came in 2014 when the prolific striker registered 12 goals in 36 appearances between the Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers of the first division League of Ireland.

The Libyan national has spent a majority of his career in Ireland, representing Sporting Fingal from 2008-10 and Drogheda United from 2006-08, depositing 53 goals in 111 combined matches for the Irish sides. Zayed held the United team lead with three goals in UEFA competition.

Zayed began his professional career in 2002 with Bray Wanderers AFC, appearing in 105 matches and scoring 54 goals. He honed his game in the Leicester City youth academy from 2000-02.

Internationally, Zayed represented Ireland in 12 U21 matches as well as a brief appearance for the Irish reserves before declaring for Libya’s national team. He has made eight appearances for “The Mediterranean Knights” and scored during a 1-1 draw in an international friendly against Equatorial Guinea.

Most often playing center forward, Zayed joins Indy Eleven following a season playing for Sabah FA of the Malaysian Football League where he knocked home 11 goals in 21 appearances this past season.