MLS Re-Entry Draft - Stage One: Sofiane Djeffal headlines three selected
Three players were selected in Stage One of the 2022 Re-Entry Draft on Thursday, as the offseason continues to roll on.
Player Details
Name
Sofiane DjeffalPronunciation
Soh-fee-AHN zheff-allHeight
6' 0"Weight
152 lbsDate of Birth
4.19.1999 (26)Birthplace
Nantes, FrancePosition
MidfielderPosition Detail
UnknownPreferred Side
UnknownRoster Category
Supplemental Slots 25-28Player Category
International
Career Summary
Djeffal joined Austin FC via the 2022 MLS Re-Entry Draft Stage 1, where the Club selected him with the first pick. He made his MLS debut for Austin on March 25, 2023 as a second-half substitute against Colorado Rapids.
Djeffal began his professional career with D.C. United in 2022, making 28 appearances (19 starts) in his rookie season. He registered 27 interceptions, eight (8) key passes, and one (1) assist. Before joining D.C., Djeffal had a stellar collegiate career at Oregon State University, where he was named to the All-Pac-12 First Team for four (4) consecutive years. He was named the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year in 2018 as a freshman, and as a senior in 2021 was voted Pac-12 Player of the Year and named a MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist.
As a young player, Djeffal spent more than a decade in the academy system of his hometown club, FC Nantes of France’s Ligue 1.