Zach Thornton (born October 10, 1973) is an American soccer player who is goalkeeping coach for Chicago Fire FC.

A goalkeeper, he spent 16 seasons in Major League Soccer with the New York/New Jersey MetroStars (1996–97), Chicago Fire (1998–2006), Colorado Rapids (2007), New York Red Bulls (2008) and Chivas USA (2008–11).

His father Ernest, who had endured his share of injuries while playing football at Kentucky State College, had gently steered him away from the gridiron sport.

[5] With then-former U.S. national keeper and local star Tony Meola entrenched in Metro nets, Thornton played only six games during his first two seasons in MLS.

In 1997, he played a few games on loan with the North Jersey Imperials of the USISL, whose starting goalie was future Metro and U.S. national teamer Tim Howard.

Thornton was traded to Colorado Rapids on March 2, 2007, where he was a backup behind Bouna Coundoul during the 2007 season,[6] before he was waived at the end of the year.

Thornton returned to his alma mater as a part-time volunteer goalkeeping coach for the Loyola University Maryland men's soccer program on July 5, 2012.

[9] He was named to a similar position on a full-time basis for both the men's and women's programs at Elizabethtown College just over six weeks later on August 20.