OAKLAND, Calif. – Oakland Roots SC announced on Monday it had signed center back Kai Greene for his second stint with the club as it prepares for the 2025 USL Championship season.

Greene most recently played for Roots during the 2021 season, Oakland’s first season in the Championship. The 31-year-old currently ranks 21st in the league’s history with 235 regular season appearances and 14th in minutes played, having logged 19,683 minutes of action in the regular season.

“Kai is a no-nonsense, hardworking defender who always puts the team above all else,” said Roots Head Coach Gavin Glinton. “I know how good he was here in Oakland in 2021, and now he’s become an even bigger leader, having served as a captain in 2024. We expect Kai to step right into a leadership role back here in Oakland and make a big impact on our defense.”

During his last stint in Oakland, Greene played a crucial role as Roots rallied to secure a place in the USL Championship Playoffs on the season’s final day, recording 28 appearances and logging 2,175 minutes of action while logging 91 clearances, 34 interceptions and 32 tackles at a 72.7 percent success rate. He then helped the side earn an upset victory against El Paso Locomotive FC in the Western Conference Quarterfinals before Roots were eliminated in a penalty shootout by eventual title winner Orange County SC in the following round.

“I’m excited to be back in Oakland,” said Greene. “It’s one of the few places that have genuinely shown love for me, which was a big reason why I decided to come back. I remember we were robbed back in 2021 and I’m just here to try and finish the job and bring home some silverware.”