Zack Booth now at Real Salt Lake

Chad and Kelli Booth were sealed in the Paris, France, Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Eden’s Zach Booth Returns to Real Salt Lake After European Tour

15 February 2026
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For most young soccer players in Utah, the dream is to go pro. For Zach Booth, that dream always had a very specific destination: home.

After six years of honing his craft in some of Europe’s most competitive environments, the Eden native has officially returned to Utah. Real Salt Lake announced the acquisition of the 21-year-old on a one-year loan, marking a full-circle moment for a player who left the state as a teenager to chase a career overseas.

“It really is a dream come true,” Booth said. “I’ve always wanted to play for RSL—to represent Utah, my family, and the people who helped raise me.”

Booth’s journey to the RSL first team wasn't the standard academy-to-pro pipeline. At just 16, he traded the mountain views of Weber County for the high-pressure world of European football. His six-year odyssey included stops at Leicester City in England, followed by tenures with Volendam and Excelsior Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

While Europe served as his professional classroom, Booth says the foundation was laid much closer to home—specifically in his unfinished basement and the grass of Eden Park. “I have so many memories of playing soccer in Eden, in the backyard, in our unfinished basement and at Eden Park. I think between that and attending RSL games as a young fan, the dream was cemented.”

Booth hasn't wasted any time proving he belongs in Head Coach Pablo Mastroeni's plans. During RSL’s preseason, Booth’s speed and aggressive attacking style have already turned heads. In a preseason opener against Randers FC, Booth found space on the right side of a 3-2-4-1 formation, using his pace to stretch the defense. He followed that up with another strong performance against Brøndby IF in the Atlantic Cup.

"One of the areas we were below average in last year was transition moments," Mastroeni said. "Zach found good pockets, drove with the ball, and created opportunities for himself and his teammates."

While Mastroeni acknowledged there is always an "adaptation phase" when moving between leagues, he expressed high praise for the newcomer's integration. "Over the last couple of sessions—and tonight—I’m really pleased. He’s a great teammate, he’s talented, and he showed it."

The Zach Booth returning to Utah is different from the boy who left at 16. Now a husband, Booth married his longtime girlfriend and former Woods Cross standout, Kate Howes, last May. The couple was sealed in the Paris, France, Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

The couple is now establishing deep roots in the Utah soccer scene. While Zach suits up for RSL, Kate—a talented left-footed attacker with experience at Portland and Memphis—spent time last summer with Utah United in the USL W League. She has now committed to play her senior season at Utah Valley University.

The couple lives near RSL’s training grounds in Herriman, allowing Kate to commute to Orem as she joins a Wolverines program coming off a historic 14-5-3 season.

"It's perfect for us to live close to the facility, and she can drive down for training and school every day," Booth said. "To be around family and newly married is amazing for us. She's super happy to be back, and I'm happy to be with her."

As RSL prepares for the upcoming season, they do so with a local product who understands exactly what the badge represents. For the son of Chad and Kelli Booth, the long road through Europe has finally led exactly where he wanted to be.