Player Profile: Zach Banzon 24-year-old Zach Banzon is looking to play a more prominent role in 2021

This year, Zach Banzon is entering his sixth season at the club, making him one of the longest tenured members of Kaya FC–Iloilo, despite being only 24 years old.

Born and raised in Marikina, Banzon took the unconventional route to the professional game. A UAAP Juniors player for Ateneo de Manila Highschool, he opted against playing at the collegiate level in order to focus on pursuing a medical degree at the University of the Philippines.

He instead joined the Kaya Academy U-19 Team, where he showed plenty of promise in between the sticks. Armed with natural shot stopping ability, quick feet, and an ability to read the game, it wasn’t long before he was promoted into the Kaya B-Team, and ultimately into the First Team in 2016 – just in time to be Matt Acton’s backup for Kaya’s first ever AFC Cup campaign.

When Acton departed at the end of the season, a 20-year-old Banzon was handed the responsibility of being the starting keeper in Kaya’s first three matches of the new fully professional Philippines Football League. Although already a pro, Zach still completed his Psychology Degree at UP, graduating with a distinction of magna cum laude in 2018.

Starting appearances have been elusive for Banzon in recent seasons, but his steady growth alongside Ref Cuarsema, Ace Villanueva, and Louie Michael Casas means he remains a key figure for Kaya’s future. But now among the senior members of the squad, Zach is determined to push his way into contention for a starting spot sooner rather than later. His recent jersey number swap points to his intention. Here’s some trivia about Kaya’s new #1:

• His talent outside of football is “making people smile”.
• His favorite movie is the family classic Back to the Future, and his favorite TV show is Jeopardy!
• His favorite song is Kill This Love by Blackpink.
• His favorite cheat day order is 1 Yang Chow good for 2-3, 2 orders of Hakaw, 1 Sweet & Sour Fish, 1 Kangkong in Oyster Sauce, and 1 Mango Sago.
• His celebrity crush is Blackpink’s Lisa Manoban.
• His favorite footballer growing up was Andrei Arshavin.
• If he could have superpowers, he’d choose super speed so he can run faster than Daizo.
• And if he wasn’t a footballer, he’d be a med student.

Whether Zach’s time as a starter comes this season or later down the road, the club has high hopes for him as an integral member of the squad’s core moving forward.