Who Is Zava in Ted Lasso? AFC Richmond’s New Player Explained

Ted Lasso’s season three is currently dropping via weekly episodes on Apple TV+, bringing fans what is expected to be the final season of the acclaimed Premier League TV show. March 22 saw the debut of episode 2, entitled ‘I Don’t Want To Go,’ a large portion of which revolves around the transfer of Zava from giant Italian club Juventus. But who is Zava, is he a real player and what’s his role in Ted Lasso?

Spoilers for Ted Lasso Season 3 Episode 2 follow!

Zava in Ted Lasso Explained

Zava is a world renowned footballer in the Ted Lasso universe, agitating for a move away from Italian club Juventus. He is described as a problematic character who, despite his incredible footballing talents, may bring more trouble than he’s worth to the club that lands him.

Across the course of Episode 2, AFC Richmond throw their hat into the proverbial ring to sign Zava, trying to win his signature over West Ham United – the club owned by Rupert Mannion and managed by Nathan Shelley.

By the end of the episode, though, Zava has agreed to play for AFC Richmond to prove he can still cut it at the top level of football.

Is Zava a Real Football Player?

No – Zava is not a real footballer. Despite partnering with many leagues and name-dropping real Premier League teams and figures (namely Pep Guardiola, Mike Dean, Jeff Stelling etc), Zava does not exist and is not a real footballer.

It’s fair to compare him to real-life footballers though, with a comparison to Zlatan Ibrahimovic perhaps the most apt. The tall, long-haired Sweden international has a reputation as being confident and eccentric, playing all around Europe across his expansive career. He currently plays for AC Milan at age 41 – an incredible feat in professional football.

Juventus are a real football team though. They play in the Italian Serie A and are one of the most successful clubs in the history of world football.

Who Plays Zava in Ted Lasso?

Zava is played by actor Maximillian Osinski in Ted Lasso. We’ve not seen a lot of the man himself, mainly because Zava doesn’t actually feature that heavily in-person, despite being a major part of the plot. When we do see Zava, it’s typically via a YouTube video, hidden behind sunglasses or in conversation with the aforementioned Rupert.

Osinski is best known for his role as Agent Davis on ‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D’, but looks set for a significant role in the remainder of Ted Lasso Season 3 as AFC Richmond try and conquer the Premier League.

That’s all there is to say about Zava in Ted Lasso right now. We expect to see a lot more of him in Season 3, so stay tuned for all the latest from the world of AFC Richmond.