Editor’s note: This is part of a series of stories looking at the individual performances of Defiance players who are under contract in 2025. You can find all the stories here.
Osaze De Rosario is the son of MLS legend Dwayne De Rosario. A striker and full international with Guyana, Osaze joined Tacoma Defiance from Canadian Premier League team York United FC with a look to elevate his game and profile by playing in a new league. With good size and technical ability, De Rosario has the tools to be a quality player.
Born: July 19, 2001 (23)
2024 stats: 6 goals, 0 assists, 1,242 minutes
Total professional minutes: 5,202 minutes
Year in review: De Rosario scored in his first appearance for Defiance, coming on as a sub in the second game of the season, a 5-2 loss to Ventura County. He scored his second goal about a month later and received a 4-minute appearance to help close out Seattle’s Open Cup meeting with Louisville City (he missed his penalty in the shootout, but Seattle advanced nonetheless), but struggled to really establish himself in the Defiance squad. He did have a run of 4 goals in 4 games over the course of 3 weeks from June 26 to July 14, during which Defiance went 4-0 and outscored opponents 12-4. Despite an uneven season, he closed out the year with a pair of spectacular performances for Guyana in Concacaf Nations League qualifying, scoring 4 goals with 1 assist in 146 minutes across two games against Barbados to help Guyana advance.
If it all works out: Once an up-and-coming star in Canada, De Rosario is not necessarily young by football standards anymore. But if he can make a habit of playing like he did against Barbados – or during that run of games in the summer – he could be a legitimate option at striker for the Sounders. At his best, he has shown an ability to be a threat in the box, a target for set pieces, and capable of using his size and technique to create opportunities for his teammates. Even if he can’t climb to the heights of becoming Seattle’s starting striker, he could certainly be a legit depth piece.
