Sporting Kansas City (3-8-2, 11 pts.) closes out a brutal stretch of three road games in seven days when the team heads back to the west coast to face expansion team San Diego FC (7-4-2, 23 pts.) at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday night.
Sporting KC has historically performed well in inaugural matchups against expansion sides in MLS, going 11-5-5 in their first-ever matches with new teams. Against the last expansion team Sporting faced in 2023, rivals St. Louis, Sporting fell to a 4-0 defeat in the first-ever meeting at Citypark on May 20, 2023. Sporting also faced 2020 expansion team Inter Miami for the first time on Sept. 9, 2023, falling to a 3-2 road defeat, marking the most recent time Sporting has faced a new team for the first time.
Sporting KC is 21-10-10 overall against teams that are in the midst of their expansion campaign, having gone 1-2-0 in the regular season against St. Louis in 2023 - winning at home and losing both games on the road.
San Diego is off to an excellent start to life in MLS, going 7-4-2 in their first 13 matches of the 2025 season - including an excellent 4-1-2 mark at Snapdragon Stadium.
#SDvSKC: Recent Meetings (No prior MLS meetings)
Date Score Result Details
Saturday’s match is the first-ever meeting between Sporting Kansas City and San Diego FC.
#SDvSKC: PLAYER HISTORY
• No player on Sporting Kansas City’s current roster has faced 2025 expansion side San Diego FC in the past.
#SDvSKC: BY THE NUMBERS
Sporting KC Team Notes
• Sporting has scored 13 goals in its last seven matches (1.86 per game) after scoring six goals in its first six matches this season.
• Sporting has been outscored 20-9 through the 60th minute while outscoring opponents 10-4 after the 60th minute this season.
• Sporting has lost six matches by a single goal in 2025, tied for the most in MLS.
• All five of Sporting’s away losses this season have come by a single goal (1-5-1 road record).
• Sporting is 3-2-0 when scoring the first goal and 0-6-2 when conceding the first goal this season.
• Sporting ranks third in MLS in progressive dribbles per match (18.7) and sixth in progressive passes per match (44.9). Progressive dribbles and passes are dribbles and passes that advance the ball at least 10 yards closer to the opponent’s goal line or into the penalty area.
• Sporting has won three penalty kicks this season, tied for fourth most in MLS, after winning three penalties during the entire 2024 regular season.
• Sporting ranks second in MLS in touches in the attacking third per game (184).
Sporting KC Player Notes
• Forward Dejan Joveljic scored Sporting’s 77th-minute equalizer in Wednesday’s 2-2 draw at St. Louis. It was his first away goal since June 2024 with the LA Galaxy and his team-leading sixth goal of the season. Three of Joveljic’s six goals this year have come against St. Louis after he had a brace in Sporting’s 2-0 home win over their rivals on April 5.
• Forward Shapi Suleymanov came off the bench to assist Joveljic’s equalizer with a free kick delivery. He is tied for the team lead with four assists this season while ranking fourth in MLS in dribbles into the penalty area (24) and seventh in progressive passes received (115).
• Defender Tim Leibold came off the bench to score Sporting’s opening goal on Wednesday. Sporting now has four goals from substitutes this season, second most in MLS.
San Diego FC Team Notes
• San Diego has won three straight matches since the start of May, outscoring opponents 9-1 during that stretch, to reach second place in the Western Conference.
• San Diego has scored seven unanswered goals in its last two home matches, a 5-0 win over FC Dallas on May 3 and a 2-0 win over the Colorado Rapids on Wednesday.
• San Diego has conceded one goal across its last three matches after conceding three goals in three consecutive games from April 12-26.
• San Diego ranks third in MLS in goals scored (25) and goal differential (+9).
• San Diego’s lone home loss was a 3-1 defeat to Real Salt Lake on April 26. The team has won three straight games since then.
• Five of San Diego’s seven wins this season have come by multiple goals.
• San Diego has a perfect 6-0-0 record when scoring first and a 1-4-1 record when conceding first this season. Similarly, San Diego is 4-0-0 when leading at halftime and 0-3-1 when trailing at halftime this season.
• San Diego ranks second in MLS in both possession (56.0%) and passing accuracy (88.3%).
• San Diego has conceded seven goals from set pieces, second most in MLS.
San Diego FC Player Notes
• Forward Anders Dreyer leads San Diego in goals (six), total goal contributions (12) and key passes (37). He is the only MLS player with at least six goals and six assists this season.
• Forward Chucky Lozano is second on the team in goals (four) and goal contributions (10). He has a team-best 5.23 expected goals and is tied for the team lead with six assists. Lozano is tied for fourth in MLS in assists (six) while ranking second in shots per 90 minutes (4.87).
• Goalkeeper C.J. dos Santos ranks second in MLS in shutouts (five), fourth in save percentage (78.7%) and eighth in saves (44).
#SDvSKC: PLAYER/COACH CONNECTIONS
NOTEWORTHY MILESTONES
• Defender Logan Ndenbe is 69 minutes shy of 5,000 minutes played for Sporting in all competitions.
• Defender Andrew Brody was teammates with San Diego’s Jasper Loffelsend at Real Salt Lake from 2022-2023. Brody also played with Milan Iloski at RSL in 2021.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY NEWS AND NOTES
BRUTAL ROAD SCHEDULE CONTINUES IN SAN DIEGO
Sporting Kansas City continued a tough stretch of matches in May with a 2-2 comefrom-behind draw against rivals St. Louis at Energizer Park on Wednesday night and is now preparing to jet back to the west coast to face off against 2025 expansion team San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday night.
Sporting has gone 3-3-1 since Kerry Zavagnin took over as interim head coach at the end of March, with Wednesday’s comeback serving as the first draw. Sporting showed serious resilience to come back against St. Louis, as the club had lost 24 consecutive regular season road matches when trailing by multiple goals in the 70th minute prior to Wednesday’s match.
Instead, goals from Tim Leibold and Dejan Joveljic off assists from Daniel Salloi and Shapi Suleymanov earned Sporting a point and sealed the season-series against their rivals. The last time Sporting rescued a road result when trailing by multiple goals in the 70th minute of a regular season match was more than a decade ago on April 25, 2015 in a 4-4 draw at Houston.
Sporting had lost 13 consecutive regular season matches when trailing by multiple goals at halftime entering this season and the has now come back to earn draws in both matches when trailing by multiple goals at halftime this year, having also come back from a 3-0 deficit to earn a 3-3 draw against Minnesota United on March 15, 2025.
BATTLING EXPANSION FOES
Sporting Kansas City is set to close out a road-heavy week of matches when the team heads back to the west coast to face off against 2025 expansion side San Diego FC at Snapdragon Stadium on Saturday night. It’s Sporting KC’s first clash with an expansion side since sweeping St. Louis in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs, leaving just 2022 expansion club Charlotte FC as the only MLS teams Sporting has yet to face.
Sporting’s last set of showdowns with an expansion team came with St. Louis in 2023, with Sporting dropping the regular-season series 1-2-0. Sporting fell twice on the road that season by 4-0 and 4-1 scorelines on May 20 and Sept. 30, 2023, respectively. Sporting won the only meeting at Children’s Mercy Park that year 2-1 behind an Alan Pulido brace, before sweeping St. Louis in the MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Best-of-3 series with a 4-1 win on the road and 2-1 win at home.
Sporting KC has historically performed well in inaugural matchups against expansion sides in MLS, going 11-5-5 in their first-ever matches with new teams. Sporting KC is also 21-10-10 overall against teams that are in the midst of their expansion campaign. Saturday’s match is the first of two meetings with San Diego in 2025, with the Californians visiting Children’s Mercy Park on Aug. 9, 2025.
JOVELJIC NAMED TO TEAM OF THE MATCHDAY
Major League Soccer announced on Thursday the MLS Team of the Matchday for Matchday 13 of the regular season with Sporting Kansas City forward Dejan Joveljic honored as one of the top 20 players in the league after the team’s 2-2 draw at rivals St. Louis on Wednesday.
The highest rated player in the match by Opta, Joveljic headed home a free kick from Shapi Suleymanov in the 77th minute for the game-tying goal which secured the season series against St. Louis and marked the first time in more than a decade that Sporting earned a point on the road when trailing by multiple goals in the 70th minute of a regular season match.
The Serbian striker now has a team-leading six goals on the year - three of which have come against St. Louis - and is one of five players in MLS with six or more goals in each of the last four seasons.
SALLOI CLIMBS THE CHARTS
Sporting Kansas City forward and Academy product Daniel Salloi continued his excellent 2025 season on Wednesday, recording his third assist of the season to help spark the comeback in the 2-2 draw with rivals St. Louis at Energizer Park.
Salloi led the team with six shots on the night and produced a brilliant header to set up Tim Leibold’s goal that got Sporting back into the game. Salloi is tied with Dejan Joveljic for the team lead with seven goal contributions in 2025.
Salloi, who now has seven goal contributions (two goals and five assists) in 10 MLS appearances against St. Louis, moved into a tie for sixth in club history with 40 regular season assists alongside longtime teammate and friend Johnny Russell.
The assist gives Salloi 100 career goal contributions in MLS competitions (56 goals and 44 assists in the regular season and playoffs combined). Salloi has 91 goal contributions for SKC in the regular season (51 goals, 40 assists) and 110 goal contributions (64 goals, 46 assists) in all competitions, both of which rank fourth most in club history.
LEIBOLD SPARKS COMEBACK
Sporting Kansas City defender Tim Leibold made the most of an unexpected substitute appearance on Wednesday to help spur his side back from a 2-0 deficit to claim a 2-2 draw on the road against cross-state rivals St. Louis at Energizer Park.
Only entering the game in the 56th minute after halftime substitute Nemanja Radoja picked up a quad injury, Leibold was a threatening presence down the left-hand side of Sporting’s attack and scored his first goal of the season in the 71st minute when he combined brilliantly with Daniel Salloi before firing beyond countryman Roman Burki to make the score 2-1.
The goal was Leibold’s first of the season and first goal since June 29, 2024 when he scored the opener in a 2-0 win over Austin FC at Children’s Mercy Park.
Sporting KC has now scored four goals via substitutes this season, second most in MLS behind Saturday’s opponents San Diego (5).
MAY PRESENTS DAUNTING ROAD SCHEDULE
Sporting Kansas City is in the midst of a brutal schedule throughout the month of May that sees the team play five of seven matches on the road.
Looking forward, three of Sporting’s next four games are on the road, and the club is in the midst of a daunting three-game road swing where the team will log almost 6,000 air miles in the space of seven days.
Date Match
Location
May 10 L 0-1 at Portland Timbers Providence Park (Portland, OR)
May 14 T 2-2 at St. Louis Energizer Park (St. Louis, MO)
May 17 at San Diego FC Snapdragon Stadium (San Diego, CA)
After a brief respite with a home game against the New England Revolution on May 24, Sporting closes out the month with further road trips to take on LAFC at BMO Stadium on May 28 and the Houston Dynamo at Shell Energy Stadium on May 31.
The schedule-makers return the favor to Sporting in the month of June, as the team plays just three matches with all taking place at Children’s Mercy Park.
POSTGAME: #STLvSKC
Head coach Kerry Zavagnin
On the comeback…
“We never gave up. Although things at different points in the game weren’t going our way, we never gave up. There have been different points in the last 6 weeks that we’ve excelled in. There have been games where we exploded offensively. There have been games where we held really strong and defended a result with zero shots on goal. We’ve defended set pieces, 12 of them in a game, in a fantastic way. Tonight was one of those moments where courage and bravery and the winning mentality really shone through. That’s probably the story of the night because I don’t think we necessarily deserved to be down 2-0. But we were and we can’t control that. We can’t control the result. But we can control our attitude. And the way the guys persevered throughout the game was probably what the storyline is all about.”
On the ability to recover from the two goals conceded…
“I think it’s being consistent with the message. You can talk about how you can’t control the results. And then you lose every game and then everyone says, ‘Yeah, but…’ because it’s a results orientated business. Our approach is we can’t do anything about yesterday and we can’t do anything about tomorrow. All we can deal with is the moment. That was the message at halftime, that we have to put the half behind us and show that we have the character at least to compete and push forward. We did and we got a result from it.”
On the play of John Pulskamp…
“I don’t want to talk to him because he’s playing so well. He’s playing a perfect game, you know? Maybe that’s a bit excessive, but I think that he’s growing as a goalkeeper. We say that after every week when he’s put in a performance that is just a little bit better than the last one. The question recently was ‘what’s his ceiling?’ and I would hate to put anything on that, because he just keeps growing. It’s really great to see how he’s improving and improving the team.”
GOALS SCORED IN SERIES BY INTERVAL
CHILDREN’S MERCY PARK BY THE NUMBERS
SPORTING KANSAS CITY 2025 TRANSACTION TRACKER
Players In Players Out
DEF - Ian James (Signed as Homegrown Player - Dec. 6, 2024)
GK - Jack Kortkamp (Signed as Homegrown Player - Dec. 6, 2024)
MID - Jacob Bartlett (Signed as Homegrown Player - Jan. 9, 2025)
MID - Danny Flores (Option Declined - Nov. 14, 2024)
MID - Remi Walter (Out of Contract - Nov. 14, 2024)
FWD - Johnny Russell (Out of Contract - Nov. 14, 2024)
FWD - Alan Pulido (Transfered to Chivas Guadalajara - Jan. 7, 2025)
FWD - Alenis Vargas (Waived - Feb. 21, 2025)
FWD - William Agada (Traded to Real Salt Lake - April 23, 2025)
SPORTING KANSAS CITY TRANSACTION TIMELINE
DATE IN/OUT DETAILS
Nov. 14: OUT Sporting KC declines options on defenders Robert Castellanos and Chris Rindov along with midfielders Ozzie Cisneros and Danny Flores. In addition, goalkeeper Tim Melia, defender Andreu Fontas, midfielder Remi Walter and forward Johnny Russell are out of contract.
Dec. 6: IN Sporting KC signs defender Ian James and goalkeeper Jack Kortkamp as Homegrown Players out of the Sporting KC Academy.
Jan. 7: OUT Sporting KC transfers forward Alan Pulido to Chivas Guadalajara (Mexico).
Jan. 9: IN Sporting KC signs midfielder Jacob Bartlett as a Homegrown Player, who had just completed his freshman season at the University of Notre Dame.
Jan. 13: IN Sporting KC signs free agent forward Mason Toye, most recently with the Portland Timbers (MLS).
Feb. 1: IN Sporting KC acquires forward Dejan Joveljic in a $4 million cash-for-player trade with the LA Galaxy (MLS).
Feb. 3: IN Sporting KC acquires midfielder Manu Garcia and forward Shapi Suleymanov in transfer from Aris Thessaloniki (Greece).
Feb. 13: IN Sporting KC signs defender Jansen Miller, the club’s first round pick (8th overall) in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft out of Indiana University.
Feb. 20: IN Sporting KC acquires defender Andrew Brody off waivers from Real Salt Lake (MLS).
Feb. 21: OUT Sporting KC places forward Alenis Vargas on waivers.
April 22: IN Sporting KC acquires forward Santiago Munoz on loan with an option to buy at the end of the 2025 season from Santos Laguna (Mexico).
April 23: OUT Sporting KC trades forward William Agada in exchange for up to $850,000 in GAM from Real Salt Lake (MLS).
CONSTRUCTING SPORTING KANSAS CITY
2020 Khiry Shelton (12/9/19)
2021
2022
Logan Ndenbe (1/14/22)
Robert Voloder (1/19/22)
Erik Thommy (6/23/22)
2023 Stephen Afrifa (1st Round - #8) Nemanja Radoja (10/26/22)
2025 Jansen Miller (1st Round - #8) Manu Garcia (2/3/25)
Shapi Suleymanov (2/3/25)
Santiago Munoz (4/22/25)
Memo Rodriguez (2/1/24)
Mason Toye (1/13/25) Dejan Joveljic (2/1/25)
Daniel Salloi (1/13/16)
John Pulskamp (2/24/20)
Jake Davis (8/19/21)
Ian James (12/6/24)
Jack Kortkamp (12/6/24)
Jacob Bartlett (1/9/25)
Andrew Brody (2/20/25)
2025 REFEREE LOG (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
2025 VIDEO ASSISTANT REFEREE LOG (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
March 15 vs. MIN Joe Dickerson
Radford
Joaquin Fernandez is adjudged to have blocked a shot from Jeong Sang-Bin with his hand in the penalty area, and referee Joe Dickerson awards
After reviewing the play, Dickerson overturns his original decision as Fernandez had blocked the shot with his head.
March 22 vs. LAFC Ismir Pekmic
Terry Jr.
Shapi Suleymanov dribbles into the area and attempts to shoot but is tripped from behind by LAFC’s David Martinez, and referee Ismir Pekmic awards a penalty. After reviewing the play, Pekmic overturns his original decision as Martinez was adjudged to have won the ball.
April 13 vs. POR Pierre-Luc Lauziere Shawn Tehini
Shapi Suleymanov dribbles into the area, passes the ball to Jake Davis and is caught late by Portland’s Antony, but referee Pierre-Luc Lauziere waves
After
the play, Lauziere overturns his original decision and awards the penalty kick.
SPORTING KC MISCELLANEOUS STATS
2025 Regular-Season Record When...
Scoring first goal 3-2-0
Conceding first goal 0-6-2
Leading at halftime 2-0-0
Tied at halftime 1-3-0
Trailing at halftime 0-5-2
Scoring 0 goals 0-3-0
Scoring 1 goal 1-4-0
Scoring 2 goals 1-1-1
Scoring 3 goals 0-0-1
Scoring 4+ goals 1-0-0
Allowing 0 goals 2-0-0
Allowing 1 goal 0-2-0
Allowing 2 goals 0-5-1
Allowing 3 goals 1-0-1
Allowing 4+ goals 0-1-0
Wearing Sporting blue 3-6-2
Wearing Argyle 0-2-0
Leading at 75’ 3-0-0
Tied at 75’ 0-1-0
Trailing at 75’ 0-7-2
Outshooting opponent 0-4-1
Outshot by opponent 2-4-1
Shots even 1-0-0
Shutouts 2-3-0
One-goal games 1-6-0
Day games (before 5 p.m.) 0-2-0
Games 5 p.m. CT or later 3-6-2
Temperature 75 & up 0-2-1
Temperature below 75 3-5-1
With SKC red card 0-0-0
With opponent red card 0-1-0
In Pacific time zone 1-1-0
In Mountain time zone 0-0-0
In Central time zone 2-5-2
In Eastern time zone 0-2-0
vs. Western Conference 3-6-2 vs. Eastern Conference 0-2-0
On grass 3-7-2
On turf 0-1-0
With zero subs 0-0-0
With one sub 0-0-0
With two subs 0-0-0
With three subs 0-1-0
With four subs 1-2-1
With five subs 2-5-1
With six subs 0-0-0
Regular Season Record By Month
Feb. 2025 0-1-0
Feb. all-time 1-3-1
March 2025 0-4-1
March all-time 27-20-16
April 2025 2-2-0
April all-time 48-49-25
May 2025 1-1-1
May all-time 48-60-32
June 2025 0-0-0
June all-time 50-40-31
July 2025 0-0-0
July all-time 61-50-33
Aug. 2025 0-0-0
Aug. all-time 57-55-22
Sept. 2025 0-0-0
Sept. all-time 44-56-24
Oct. 2025 0-0-0
Oct. all-time 34-23-19
Nov. 2025 0-0-0
Nov. all-time 1-2-0
Regular Season Team-By-Team (in 2025)
vs. Atlanta United 1-2-1 (0-0-0) vs. Austin FC 3-6-1 (0-1-0)
vs. Charlotte FC 0-0-0 (0-0-0)
vs. Chicago Fire 19-28-12 (0-0-0)
vs. Colorado Rapids 30-27-19 (0-0-0)
vs. Columbus Crew 26-23-9 (0-0-0)
vs. D.C. United 22-23-13 (0-1-0)
vs. FC Cincinnati 1-1-1 (0-1-0)
vs. FC Dallas 29-32-14 (0-1-0)
vs. Houston Dynamo 14-14-16 (0-0-0)
vs. Inter Miami CF 0-2-0 (0-0-0)
vs. LAFC 4-8-2 (0-1-0)
vs. LA Galaxy 27-28-18 (1-0-0)
vs. Minnesota United 11-7-5 (0-0-1)
vs. CF Montreal 8-5-3 (0-0-0)
vs. Nashville SC 2-2-0 (0-0-0)
vs. NE Revolution 25-20-12 (0-0-0)
vs. New York City FC 2-3-1 (0-0-0)
vs. New York Red Bulls 22-22-15 (0-0-0)
vs. Orlando City 3-3-2 (0-0-0)
vs. Philadelphia Union 6-6-7 (0-0-0)
vs. Portland Timbers 9-10-7 (0-2-0)
vs. Real Salt Lake 13-18-9 (0-0-0)
vs. St. Louis 2-3-3 (1-0-1)
vs. SJ Earthquakes 33-27-10 (1-1-0) vs. Seattle Sounders 12-13-4 (0-0-0)
vs. Toronto FC 15-4-8 (0-0-0)
vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 12-8-5 (0-0-0)
Regular Season Home, Away & Neutral
Overall All-time 373-359-203
2025 at home 2-3-1
All-time at home 243-128-94
2025 on road 1-5-1
All-time on road 128-230-109
2025 neutral 0-0-0
SPORTING KC IN 2025 (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
goals after 75’... Dejan Joveljic (3/15 vs.
-
Dejan Joveljic (5/14 at STL) - 77th
Game-winning goals against after 75’... Osman Bukari (2/22 at ATX) - 76th minute Kevin Denkey (4/26 at CIN) - 78th Minute
Cards Against...
Lopez (3/1 vs. SJ) - 52nd Minute Penalty Kicks... Dejan Joveljic (3/1 vs. SJ) - Scored on Daniel Dejan Joveljic (4/13 vs. POR) - Scored on James Pantemis Dejan Joveljic (4/13 vs. POR) - Saved by James Pantemis
Penalty Kicks Earned... Handball on Ian Harkes (3/1 vs. SJ) - 27th Minute Foul on Shapi Suleymanov (4/13 vs. POR) - 33rd Minute Foul on Stephen Afrifa (4/13 vs. POR) - 93+ Minute
Penalty Kicks Against... Christian Benteke (3/8 at DC) - Scored on John Pulskamp Chicho Arango (4/19 at SJ) - Scored on John Pulskamp
Youngest Goalscorer... Logan Ndenbe (4/19 at SJ) - 25 years and 69 days
Oldest Goalscorer... Tim Leibold (5/14 at STL) - 31 years and 165 days
Youngest Starter... Jacob Bartlett (2/22 at ATX) - 19
Youngest to play in a
Jacob Bartlett (2/22 at ATX) - 19 years and 138 days
Oldest Starter... Nemanja Radoja (5/10 at POR) - 32 years and 93 days
Oldest to play in a game... Nemanja Radoja (5/14 at STL) - 32 years and 97 days
SPORTING KC ALL-TIME WIN/LOSS RECORDS IN COMPETITIVE MATCHES
Feb. 22, 2025: Austin FC 1-0 Sporting KC MLS Game 1 | Q2 Stadium | Austin, TX Attendance: 20,738 Weather: 40 degrees and cloudy
Sporting KC (0-1-0, 0 pts.) 0 0 0
Austin FC (1-0-0, 3 pts.) 0
Sporting KC Austin FC
GK Pulskamp GK Stuver
D Davis D Desler (Fodrey 90’)
D Fernandez (Rosero 72’) D Cascante
D Voloder D Hines-Ike
D Ndenbe D Biro
M Bartlett (Garcia 46’) M Ilie (C) (Sabovic 78’)
M Radoja M Pereira
M Rodriguez (Bassong 73’) M Wolff (Rubio 78’)
F Salloi F Obrian (Gallagher 72’)
F Agada (Joveljic 46’) F Vazquez
F Thommy (C) (Suleymanov 84’) F Bukari
Subs not used: Subs not used: Schewe (GK) Cleveland (GK)
March 15, 2025: Sporting KC 3-3 Minnesota United MLS Game 4 | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS
Attendance: 14,867
Weather: 43 degrees and snowy
(0-3-1, 1
(2-1-1,
Sporting KC Minnesota United GK Pulskamp GK St. Clair
D Davis (Shelton 88’) D Hlongwane
D Fernandez D Harvey
D Voloder D Boxall (C)
D Ndenbe (Leibold 59’) D Duggan
M Radoja D Markanich
M Bassong (Rodriguez 46’) M Pereyra (Diaz 65’)
M Garcia M Trapp
F Suleymanov M Dotson (Gene 74’)
F Joveljic F Oluwaseyi (Sang-Bin 64’)
F Thommy (C) (Salloi 58’) F Lod (Yeboah 74’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Schewe (GK) Smir (GK)
Miller Padelford
Afrifa Romero
Agada Jung
Toye Shashua
Scoring Summary:
MIN - Hassani Dotson 1 (Morris Duggan 1) 15’
MIN - Tani Oluwaseyi 1 (Bongokuhle Hlongwane 1) 31’
MIN - Tani Oluwaseyi 2 (Joaquin Pereyra 1, Robin Lod 1) 46’
SKC - Daniel Salloi 1 (Tim Leibold 1) 68’
SKC - Own Goal (Morris Duggan) 72’
SKC - Dejan Joveljic 2 (Manu Garcia 1) 80’
Misconduct Summary:
MIN - Tani Oluwaseyi (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 6’
SKC - Tim Leibold (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 64’
Stats Summary SKC MIN
Shots (on goal) 8 (3) 14 (6)
Saves 3 1
Fouls 10 18
Offside 0 2
Corner Kicks 4 4
March 1, 2025: Sporting KC 1-2 San Jose Earthquakes MLS Game 2 | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 16,277 Weather: 37 degrees and clear
Sporting KC (0-2-0,
Sporting KC San Jose Earthquakes
GK Pulskamp GK Daniel
D Davis (Brody 56’) D Rodrigues
D Fernandez D Wilson
D Voloder D Romney
D Leibold (Ndenbe 56’) M Espinoza (C)
M Bartlett (Radoja 56’) M Leroux (Lima 76’)
M Bassong (Rodriguez 77’) M Harkes
M Garcia M Ricketts
F Suleymanov F Lopez
F Joveljic F Martinez (Kaye 61’)
F Thommy (C) (Salloi 77’) F Arango (Bouda 81’)
Subs not used: Subs not used:
Schewe (GK) Edwards Jr. (GK)
James Costa
Rosero Floriani
Agada Munie
Tsakiris
Pellegrino
Scoring Summary:
SJ - Chicho Arango 1 (Unassisted) 3’
SJ - Josef Martinez 1 (Unassisted) 19’
SKC - Dejan Joveljic 1 (Penalty Kick) 27’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Tim Leibold (Yellow Card; Dissent) 5’
SKC - Jacob Bartlett (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 16’
SKC - Jake Davis (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 45’
SPORTING KC 2025 CONCACAF CHAMPIONS CUP BOX SCORES
Feb. 19, 2025: Sporting KC 0-1 Inter Miami CF Round One Leg 1 | Children’s Mercy Park | Kansas City, KS Attendance: 15,178 Weather: 5 degrees and clear
Sporting KC
Miami
Sporting KC Inter Miami CF GK Pulskamp GK Ustari
D Davis D Weigandt
D Rosero (Fernandez 46’) D Lujan
D Voloder D Aviles
D Leibold (Ndenbe 62’) D Allen
M Bartlett M Allende (Picault 73’)
M Radoja M Redondo
M Rodriguez (Garcia 62’) M Busquets
F Salloi (Afrifa 83’) M Segovia (Cremaschi 79’)
F Joveljic (Agada 62’) F Messi (C)
F Thommy (C) F Suarez (Taylor 89’)
Subs not used: Subs not used: Schewe (GK) Rios Novo (GK)
James Falcon Miller Sailor Bassong Fray
Suleymanov Gressel
Toye Morales Vargas Ruiz Afonso
Scoring Summary:
MIA - Lionel Messi 1 (Sergio Busquets 1, Noah Allen 1) 56’
Misconduct Summary:
SKC - Manu Garcia (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 74’
MIA - Federico Redondo (Yellow Card; Unsporting Behavior) 80’
Stats Summary SKC MIA
7 (3) 9 (1)
Feb. 25, 2025: Inter Miami CF 3 (4) - Sporting KC 1 (1) Round One Leg 2 | Chase Stadium | Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Attendance: 18,280
Weather: 68 degrees and clear
Sporting
Sporting KC Inter Miami CF GK Pulskamp GK Ustari
D Davis (Brody 74’) D Fray
D Rosero (James 84’) D Falcon (Lujan 80’)
D Voloder D Aviles (Allen 57’)
D Leibold D Alba
M Bartlett M Redondo
M Bassong M Busquets (Ruiz 81’)
M Garcia (Rodriguez 58’) M Segovia
F Suleymanov (Salloi 58’) F Messi (C) (Cremaschi 68’)
F Joveljic (Agada 58’) F Suarez (Taylor 81’)
F Thommy (C) F Allende
Subs not used: Subs not used: Schewe (GK) Rios Novo (GK)
Ndenbe Hall
Radoja Martinez
Afrifa Sailor
Toye Gressel
Morales Afonso
Scoring Summary:
MIA - Lionel Messi 2 (Luis Suarez 1) 19’
MIA - Tadeo Allende 1 (Jordi Alba 1) 46+
MIA - Luis Suarez 1 (unassisted) 48+
SKC - Memo Rodriguez 1 (Jacob Bartlett 1) 63’
Misconduct Summary: None
SPORTING KC STARTERS BY POSITION (2025 REGULAR SEASON)
Formation: 4-3-3 (11 games)
Left forward
Daniel Salloi 8
Erik Thommy 5
Left-center midfielder
Manu Garcia 8
Nemanja Radoja 4
Memo Rodriguez 1
Center forward
Dejan Joveljic 12
William Agada 1
Left back
Logan Ndenbe 10
Tim Leibold 2
Zorhan Bassong 1
Defensive midfielder
Jacob Bartlett 10
Nemanja Radoja 3
Left center back
Robert Voloder 8
Joaquin Fernandez 4
Dany Rosero 1
Right forward
Shapi Suleymanov 11
Daniel Salloi 1
Erik Thommy 1
Right-center midfielder
Jake Davis 4
Manu Garcia 4
Zorhan Bassong 3
Nemanja Radoja 1
Memo Rodriguez 1
Right center back
Jansen Miller 9
Joaquin Fernandez 3
Dany Rosero 1
Goalkeeper
John Pulskamp 13
Right back
Jake Davis 5
Khiry Shelton 5
Andrew Brody 3
NOTE: Charts do not account for players interchanging and/ or switching positions over the course of a match. Substitute players are not listed.
A leading independent children’s health organization dedicated to holistic care, translational research, educating caregivers and breakthrough innovation to create a world of well-being for all children, Children’s Mercy Kansas City began a 10-year partnership with Sporting KC in 2016. Children’s Mercy provides the highest level of care for children from birth through the age of 21. U.S. News & World Report has repeatedly ranked Children’s Mercy as one of “America’s Best Children’s Hospitals.”
The comprehensive partnership between Sporting KC and Children’s Mercy Kansas City – which includes naming rights to Sporting KC’s world-class stadium, Children’s Mercy Park, as well as the Sporting KC II and Sporting KC Academy complex at Swope Soccer Village – is also at the forefront of Sporting’s state-of-the-art training ground at Compass Minerals National Performance Center. In a first-of-its-kind collaboration between a professional sports team, a national sports federation and a sports medicine provider, the facility opened in 2018 and features the Children’s Mercy Sports Medicine Center alongside Sporting Kansas City and U.S. Soccer.
Children’s Mercy Kansas City is also the official health care and sports medicine provider for the Sporting Kansas City Academy and Compass Minerals National Performance Center as part of a multi-faceted partnership that focuses on the following three components to impact the local community:
1. Strengthening community
• The partnership directly supports The Victory Project, Sporting’s foundation to help children - including those with cancer and disabilities – through all of life’s challenges.
• Sporting KC players and staff engage with, encourage and inspire Children’s Mercy patients throughout the year during hospital visits and special events.
• FLEET, an innovative team of remote experience robots operated via an iPad, regularly attends Sporting KC home matches to provide an all-access interactive experience for patients at Children’s Mercy. Manufactured by Double Robotics, the robot allows users to enjoy two-way live audio and video captured from a 150-degree wide-angle lens while navigating to control their own VIP behind-the-scenes journey.
• Launched in 2018, the RED CARD campaign addresses one of the most significant social issues impacting children nationwide by empowering youth and adults to prevent and intervene in bullying. Through school assemblies and community-wide messaging, the RED CARD initiative aims to reach children, parents, teachers and coaches who have daily opportunities to create supportive environments and stop bullying in its tracks. In 2023 and 2024, Sporting and Children’s Mercy teamed up to provide 90 students at 30 local elementary and middle schools with SKC jerseys on National Random Acts of Kindness Day as part of a Kindness In The Schools (K.I.T.S.) initiative.
2. Improving access to pediatric-trained sports medicine
• The Children’s Mercy Sports Medicine Center at Village West is located inside Compass Minerals National Performance Center and offers a full range of sports medicine services, resources and programming for youth athletes. More than two million high-school athletes and 3.5 million children under age 14 are injured each year in the U.S. playing sports. Only a small percentage are treated by pediatric-trained sports medicine specialists who truly understand the youth’s growing body, developing brain and unique psychosocial stressors.
3. Protecting youth athletes and educating parents and coaches
• The partnership provides athletic training, rehabilitation and conditioning programs for the Sporting KC Academy’s six teams at Swope Soccer Village, which hosts Sporting KC II home matches as well as year-round athletic leagues, tournaments and other marquee events.
SPORTING KC AND CHILDREN’S MERCY KANSAS CITY CONTINUE TO IMPACT LOCAL COMMUNITY
Position-Minutes - Starting Position-Minutes Played DNP - Unused Substitute
Substitute-Minutes
INTERIM HEAD COACH | KERRY ZAVAGNIN
Kerry Zavagnin was named interim head coach of Sporting Kansas City on March 31, 2025 following the departure of longtime Manager Peter Vermes. Zavagnin currently holds the MLS record as he enters his 26th season with one club as a player or coach.
Zavagnin took charge of his first match as interim head coach on April 5, 2025, leading the team to a 2-0 victory over archrivals St. Louis at Children’s Mercy Park.
Zavagnin first joined Kansas City in 2000 as a holding midfielder and was an integral part of the club’s midfield for the next nine seasons, during which time he helped lead the Wizards to MLS Cup (2000) and U.S. Open Cup (2004) Championships. He was named to the MLS All-Star team and the Best XI in 2004.
Zavagnin has won seven major trophies with Kansas City, three as a player (2000 MLS Cup, 2000 Supporters’ Shield and 2004 Open Cup) and four as a coach (2013 MLS Cup and Open Cups in 2012, 2015 and 2017). Zavagnin has played or coached 930 matches with the club in all competitions, including 773 games in the MLS regular season.
Zavagnin has been involved in 84% of the club’s matches all-time as either a player or an assistant coach (930 of 1,106 matches).
Zavagnin started his professional career with the MetroStars, where he played in 39 games over two seasons. After spending one season with the Lehigh Valley Steam (USL-1), Zavagnin arrived in Kansas City in 2000.
He played 237 games and logged 20,516 minutes for the Wizards, setting team records in both categories before being overtaken by Matt Besler early in 2018. He scored eight goals and added 22 assists in his nine seasons in KC. Zavagnin was named Team Defender of the Year in 2001.
On top of his club success in Kansas City, Zavagnin also appeared 21 times for the U.S. Men’s National Team. He recorded one assist for the U.S., who went 15-2-4 when Zavagnin featured.
KERRY ZAVAGNIN HEAD COACHING RECORD AT SPORTING KC
Year MLS Playoffs Open Cup Intl. Total 2025 3-3-1 0-0-0 3-3-1
TOTAL 3-3-1 0-0-0 0-0-0 0-0-0 3-3-1
SPORTING DIRECTOR | MIKE BURNS
Mike Burns joined Sporting KC as Sporting Director in June 2024. Burns oversees the team’s player recruitment and roster building strategy and the continued development of the club’s professional player pathway, including MLS NEXT Pro team Sporting Kansas City II and the SKC Academy.
Burns spent 15 seasons on the New England Revolution’s technical staff from 2005-2019, during which time the club won four Eastern Conference championships and one U.S. Open Cup. The former MLS player and USMNT veteran - who notably played for the Kansas City Wizards from 2001-2002 - joined the Revolution front office as Director of Soccer in 2005 before earning promotions to Vice President of Player Personnel in 2008 and to General Manager in 2011.
Under Burns, New England reached three consecutive MLS Cups in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and returned to the championship match in 2014.
From 2022-2023, Burns served as a consultant for Major League Soccer by supporting the league office in its continued growth of MLS, MLS NEXT Pro and MLS NEXT.
A native of Marlborough, Massachusetts, Burns played college soccer at Hartwick College in New York before embarking on a decorated playing career highlighted by seven seasons in MLS and 75 caps with the USMNT.
ASSISTANT COACH | ASH WALLACE
Ash Wallace has served on Sporting Kansas City’s technical staff since 2012, aiding the first team coaching staff in a variety of roles. Wallace, originally from England, assists in planning and executing training sessions and provides valuable analysis for coaches and players regarding strategy while helping scout and develop game plans for upcoming opponents. Wallace holds a U.S. Soccer A License. Wallace’s first involvement with the club came in August 2012 when he was contracted to produce a detailed scouting report on Seattle Sounders ahead of the U.S. Open Cup Final, helping Sporting claim their first of four major titles during a trophy-laden decade. Prior to joining Sporting KC, Wallace was a member of the Preston North End coaching staff and also served as an opposition scout for Fleetwood Town in his native England. Earlier in his career, he worked with Preston North End’s women’s academy teams and Penwortham Boys academy teams while earning a Degree in Sports Coaching from the University of Central Lancashire.
ASSISTANT COACH | ROGER ESPINOZA
Roger Espinoza joined the Sporting KC’s technical staff as a Professional Development Coach and first team assistant coach ahead of the 2025 season. In his role, Espinoza serves as an assistant coach for Sporting KC while also working with players on all three levels of the club’s professional player pathway – the first team, Sporting KC II and the Sporting KC Academy. Espinoza plays a leading role in the development of young players at the MLS, MLS NEXT Pro and Academy levels through individual training programs and ongoing mentorship off the field. Espinoza stepped into professional coaching after retiring as a player in the summer of 2024. He enjoyed a 16-year playing career highlighted by 14 seasons in Kansas City from 2008-2012 and 2015-2023. He helped Sporting to three U.S. Open Cup titles as one of the most accomplished players in club history and one of the longest-serving midfielders in MLS. From 2013-2014, Espinoza had a two-year stint at English side Wigan Athletic, scoring three goals in 57 appearances while gaining experience in the English Premier League and UEFA Europa League. On the international stage, Espinoza played 52 times for Honduras from 2009-2017, representing Honduras at the 2010 and 2014 World Cups. Espinoza also starred at the 2012 Summer Olympics in England – leading Honduras to the quarterfinals of the competition and scoring against Brazil at Wembley Stadium.
GOALKEEPER COACH | ALEC DUFTY
Alec Dufty is in his 10th season with Sporting Kansas City having been introduced to the organization as the Sporting KC II goalkeeper coach in the side’s inaugural season in 2016. In his first season working with the Sporting KC first team, starting goalkeeper Tim Melia enjoyed a record-breaking season where he was named the 2017 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year. A former MLS player, Dufty began his playing career with the New York Red Bulls in 2009, making one appearance before joining the MLS reserve goalkeeper pool. In 2010, Dufty joined USSF D2 Pro League side AC St. Louis, making 30 appearances before returning to MLS with the Chicago Fire in late 2010. He announced his retirement at the conclusion of the 2011 season. Dufty then took to coaching, first working with Florida Gulf Coast University and then the University of Illinois at Chicago. In 2015, Dufty served as goalkeeper coach for Toronto FC II in their inaugural USL Championship season.
Joey Harty was named Sporting Kansas City’s Director of Sports Performance and Science ahead of the 2020 season, stepping up from his role as assistant fitness coach which he held from 2018-2019. Harty manages all aspects of the club’s performance department from the academy to the senior team. He oversees day-to-day training plans on and off the field, including work in the weight room, soccer session planning, on-field movement training, data analysis and more, aiming to optimize player health and performance. Harty joined Sporting’s organization in January 2016, serving as a fitness coach for the Sporting Kansas City Academy before spending the 2017 season as head fitness coach for Sporting KC II. The Colorado native then transitioned to assistant fitness coach for Sporting’s first team in January 2018 before landing his current role with the club. Prior to arriving in Kansas City, Harty worked for Phoenix Rising FC and Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona. Harty attended Grand Canyon from 2010-2014, played for the men’s soccer team from 2010-2012 and graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and Exercise Science. In addition to holding several professional licenses and certifications in athletic performance, Harty is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Certified Performance and Sport Scientist (CPSS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
Forward Stephen Afrifa was selected by Sporting Kansas City as the eighth overall pick of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft before signing with the team at the conclusion of his senior year in April. He enjoyed a standout career at FIU, where he amassed 23 goals and 11 assists in 63 appearances from 2019-2022. He made his debut for Sporting on May 17, 2023 at LAFC before earning his first start at Austin on July 15, 2023. Afrifa scored his first goal for the club in a 4-0 Open Cup win over FC Tulsa on May 21, 2024.
Capable of playing as a striker or a winger, Afrifa began his professional journey on the heels of a phenomenal campaign in 2022 that yielded a team-high 10 goals, four assists and USC Second Team All-American honors. He guided the Panthers to the 2022
American Athletic Conference regular season and tournament titles and was named the AAC Championship Most Outstanding Offensive Player. Afrifa ended his senior season as a MAC Hermann Trophy Semifinalist and a member of the USC All-East Region Team. As a freshman, Afrifa tallied three goals and three assists, and added two goals and an assist during his sophomore year. As a junior, Afrifa helped FIU make its first of two consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances with eight goals and three assists.
On the international stage, Afrifa has earned two caps for the Canadian Men’s National Team. Afrifa made his international debut in a 2-1 win over the USMNT at Children’s Mercy Park on Sept. 7, 2024 before appearing against Mexico three days later.
JACOB BARTLETT
Height: 6-2 Weight: 160 Birthday: 10/7/2005
Hometown: Overland Park, Kansas
College: University of Notre Dame
Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 1/9/2025
Sporting Kansas City signed midfielder Jacob Bartlett as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2025 campaign. Bartlett is the 22nd Homegrown Player to emerge from the Sporting KC Academy. Bartlett climbed the youth ranks in the SKC Academy, competing at the U-12 through U-19 levels, and represented Sporting KC II as an amateur player during the 2023 and 2024 MLS NEXT Pro seasons.
Bartlett joined the SKC Academy as an 11-year-old in 2017 and was part of the U-14 team that won the 2019 LA Galaxy Cup and placed second at the 2020 US Youth Futsal National Championships. Bartlett ascended to the U-15, U-17 and U-19 squads as a standout performer over the next three years, helping the U-19s to a 2023 UPSL regular
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 0 Shots on Goal 0 Shots 1, May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Fouls Committed 3, May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Fouls Suffered 1, 3 times, last: April 13, 2025, KC vs. POR
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal N/A
Assist N/A
2025 Record when: he starts 3-6-1
season division title. He signed his first amateur contract with SKC II in early 2023 and earned his MLS NEXT Pro debut that April with a start in central defense against FC Cincinnati 2.
TopDrawerSoccer tabbed Bartlett a top-50 prospect nationally and the No. 2 player in the Heartland Region ahead of his debut season with Notre Dame in 2024, where Bartlett played in 16 of the team’s 17 games. Bartlett’s oldest brother, Alec, played for the USL’s Charlotte Independence in 2016 while his other brother, Lucas, is entering his fourth MLS season and his second year with D.C. United. His sister, Grace, plays collegiately at Grand Canyon University.
#22 | M | ZORHAN BASSONG
Height: 5-9
Weight: 175 Birthday: 5/7/1999
Hometown: Montreal, Canada
Last Club: Farul Constanta (Romania)
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 12/12/2023
Sporting Kansas City added midfielder Zorhan Bassong ahead of the 2024 campaign. The Canadian has previously spent time in France, Belgium, Romania and Major League Soccer, including 43 matches in all competitions with CF Montreal. He played two MLS seasons in Montreal from 2021-2022 before spending 2023 in Romania with Arges Pitesti and Farul Constanta. Bassong - who can play in midfield or at left back - has made 36 appearances for Sporting in all competitions, tallying one goal and one assist.
Born in Toronto and raised in Montreal, Bassong moved to Belgium in 2013 to join the Mouscron academy. Bassong furthered his development in the heralded academy systems at Belgian side Anderlecht and French club Lille, beginning his professional
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
Assists 1, 2 times, last: June 19, 2024, KC vs. RSL
Shots on Goal 2, April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
Shots 2, 3 times, last: April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
Fouls Committed 5, June 19, 2024, KC vs. RSL
Fouls Suffered 2, 4 times, last: March 8, 2025, KC at DC
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
Assist June 19, 2024, KC vs. RSL
2025 Record when: he starts 0-2-2 he scores 0-1-0
career at the latter in 2016. He joined Belgian outfit Cercle Brugge in January 2019 and left the club in July 2020. Bassong enjoyed a two-year MLS stint with CF Montreal that began in early 2021. Following his time with Montreal, Bassong spent 2023 with two Romanian clubs, Arges Pitesti and Farul Constanta.
On the international stage, Bassong represented the Belgium U-19s in 2017 before switching his allegiance to Canada. He earned two caps for Canada’s senior national team in January 2020 before being called back in to the national team in October 2024. In March 2021, Bassong played three matches for Canada U-23s at the 2020 Concacaf Men’s Olympic Qualifying Championship in Mexico, reaching the semifinals.
#3 | D | ANDREW BRODY
Height: 5-10 Weight: 145 Birthday: 5/3/1995
Hometown: Orlando, Florida
Last Club: Real Salt Lake (MLS)
Acquired: Acquired off Waivers on 2/20/2025
Sporting Kansas City acquired outside back Andrew Brody off waivers ahead of the 2025 MLS season. Brody arrived in KC having logged 238 appearances since launching his professional career in 2016. Capable of playing as a right back or a left back, he spent four MLS seasons at Real Salt Lake from 2021-2024, where he had two goals and 17 assists in 133 matches across all competitions.
Brody joined the RSL Academy in Casa Grande, Arizona, as a 16-year-old and became one of the country’s most coveted college recruits, resulting in a three-year stint at the University of Louisville from 2013-2015, amassing nine goals and 15 assists in 61 starts. From 2016-2020, Brody was an integral contributor for Real Monarchs, before spending six months on loan at FC Pinzgau Saalfelden in Austria in 2019.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 2 times, last: Aug. 14, 2022, RSL at SEA (w/ RSL) Assists 1, 15 times, last: April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
Shots on Goal 2, Oct. 1, 2022, RSL at LA (w/ RSL)
Shots 3, Aug. 6, 2022, RSL vs. LAFC (w/ RSL)
Fouls Committed 2, 4 times, last: July 15, 2023, RSL vs. NY (w/ RSL)
Fouls Suffered 3, 2 times, last: June 17, 2023, RSL at DC (w/ RSL)
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal Aug. 14, 2022, RSL at SEA (w/ RSL) Assist April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
2025 Record when: he starts 1-1-1 he scores 0-0-0
Brody signed with RSL as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2021 season and recorded an assist five minutes into his club debut: a 3-1 home win over Sporting KC on May 1, 2021. Brody enjoyed a career year in 2022, hitting MLS regular season career-highs in appearances (34), starts (33), minutes (2,960), goals (two) and assists (six) as RSL reached the postseason for a second consecutive year. Both of his goals were late winners that resulted in 2-1 triumphs.
Brody remained an important piece of an RSL side that advanced to the playoffs in 2023 and 2024. He totaled 35 appearances in 2023 - including four in the club’s run to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals - and 36 appearances in 2024.
#17 | M | JAKE DAVIS
Height: 5-10
Weight: 160 Birthday: 1/3/2002
Hometown: Rochester, Michigan
Last Club: Sporting KC II (USL Championship)
Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 8/19/2021
Sporting Kansas City signed midfielder Jake Davis as a Homegrown Player in August 2021 as the 19th Homegrown Player to emerge from the SKC Academy.
Since debuting for the club on Sept. 15, 2021, Davis has tallied three goals and 11 assists in 87 matches across all competitions and was named team Defensive Player of the Year in 2023 and team MVP in 2024. Davis broke into the team at right back in 2023 before splitting time at right back and in central midfield in 2024. Davis scored his first goal for the club with the game-winner in a 3-1 win at Toronto on March 30, 2024 and scored a goal nominated for MLS Goal of the Year against Austin on May 18, 2024.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 3 times, last: Aug. 24, 2024, KC vs. ORL
Assists 1, 8 times, last: March 8, 2025, KC at DC
Shots on Goal 1, 6 times, last: April 13, 2025, KC vs. POR Shots 3, 2 times, last: March 29, 2025, KC at DAL
Fouls Committed 5, Sept. 7, 2024, KC at NY
Fouls Suffered 2, 3 times, last: May 4, 2024, KC at RSL
Last Regular Season... Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal Aug. 24, 2024, KC vs. ORL
Assist March 8, 2025, KC at DC
2025 Record when: he starts 1-6-2 he scores 0-0-0
Davis spent significant time developing with SKC II under former Sporting greats Paulo Nagamura and Benny Feilhaber from 2019-2022 before breaking out with the first team in 2023, helping the team post a 12-7-5 record in the 24 regular-season matches he started.
A native of Rochester, Michigan, Davis moved to Kansas City in 2017 at age 15 to join the SKC Academy. He represented Sporting at the U-17 and U-19 levels, amassing eight goals across 54 appearances. In July 2024, Davis was named as an alternate for the U.S. Olympic team for the 2024 Paris Olympics, his first international recognition since November 2019 when he was selected to the U.S. U-17 National Team.
#24 | D | JOAQUIN FERNANDEZ
Height: 6-3
Weight: 170 Birthday: 5/31/1996
Hometown: Huercal de Almeria, Spain
Last Club: Trabzonspor (Turkey)
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 8/13/2024
Sporting Kansas City signed Spanish center back Joaquin Fernandez midway through the 2024 campaign. A 6-foot-3 center back, Fernandez logged over 300 professional appearances during a 12-year European career, including 85 matches in the top-flight Spanish La Liga with Real Valladolid. Fernandez made his Sporting debut on Oct. 5, 2024 and played the final two matches of the 2024 campaign.
Fernandez joined the UD Almeria youth academy in his hometown and made his senior debut with Almeria B in the Spanish third division as a 16-year-old in December 2012. In 2015, he was promoted to Almeria’s first team in the Spanish Segunda. Fernandez was a regular starter for Almeria from 2016-2018, logging 35 appearances each season. In 2018, Fernandez moved up to La Liga by signing for newly promoted Real Valladolid.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 0 Shots on Goal 1, Oct. 19, 2024, KC at DAL Shots 1, 4 times, last: April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Last Regular Season... Appearance April 19, 2025, KC at SJ Goal N/A
Assist N/A
2025 Record when: he starts 2-4-1 he scores 0-0-0
Fernandez was a starter in La Liga from 2018-2021, and although Valladolid was relegated to the second tier in 2021, the team bounced back into the top flight by finishing second in the 2021-22 Spanish Segunda. Fernandez made a career-high 27 La Liga appearances in 2022-23 and played his final match for Valladolid in a 3-1 victory over European powerhouse FC Barcelona on May 23, 2023. In June 2023, Fernandez moved abroad for the first time in his career by joining Turkish side Trabzonspor, making 17 appearances and helping Trabzonspor finish third in the league to qualify for the UEFA Europa League.
On the international stage, Fernandez represented Spain at the U-16, U-17 and U-18 levels from 2012-2014 and participated in 2013 UEFA European Under-17 Championship.
#21 | M | MANU GARCIA
Height: 5-7
Weight: 150 Birthday: 1/2/1998
Hometown: Oviedo, Spain
Last Club: Aris Thessaloniki (Greece)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 2/3/2025
Sporting Kansas City acquired Spanish midfielder Manu Garcia as a Designated Player from Greek side Aris Thessaloniki ahead of the 2025 season. Garcia arrives at Sporting having amassed 21 goals and 40 assists in nearly 300 professional matches, playing in the top divisions of England, France, Netherlands, Spain and Greece.
Garcia developed as a youth at Astur CF and Sporting Gijon prior to joining the academy of Manchester City in early 2014. He made his first-team debut for Man City on Sept. 22, 2015, replacing Sergio Aguero in a League Cup victory at Sunderland. Garcia scored his first Man City goal the following month to seal another League Cup win over Crystal Palace and later made his Premier League debut on March 5, 2016. Garcia was loaned to two clubs for the 2016-17 season - Spanish La Liga side Alaves and Dutch outfit NAC
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Assists 2, April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Shots on Goal 1, 3 times, last: April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Shots 3, March 1, 2025, KC vs. SJ
Fouls Committed 2, 3 times, last: May 10, 2025, KC at POR
Fouls Suffered 5, May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Assist April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
2025 Record when: he starts 3-7-2 he scores 1-0-0
Breda. He played an instrumental role in NAC’s promotion to the top-flight Eredivisietallying two goals and nine assists in half a season - and continued his loan spell at the Dutch club for 2017-18. The 2018-19 campaign saw Garcia go on loan to Toulouse in the French Ligue 1. In July 2019, Garcia moved to Sporting Gijon on a club-record transfer fee. He made 76 appearances for Gijon over the next two seasons, recording four goals and 11 assists, before going on loan to La Liga’s Alaves in 2021-22. Garcia signed for Aris in Super League Greece in July 2022 and bagged his first hat-trick in a 3-0 home win over Volos on Jan. 21, 2023.
On the international stage, Garcia represented Spain at the U-16, U-17, U-19 and U-21 levels before debuting for Spain’s senior national team in June 2021.
#2 | D | IAN JAMES
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190 Birthday: 6/6/2008
Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
Last Club: Sporting KC Academy
Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 12/6/2024
Sporting Kansas City signed defender Ian James as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2025 campaign, becoming the fourth youngest signing in Sporting KC history at the age of 16 years and 183 days. James represented Sporting at the U-14 through U-19 youth levels and broke into the U.S. U-16 and U-17 Men’s National Teams in 2024. James also played 10 matches for Sporting KC II during the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro season.
A native of Minnesota, James captained the Sporting KC U-15s during the 2022-23 MLS NEXT season before spending most of the 2023-24 campaign with the U-17s. James participated in the 2024 MLS NEXT All-Star Game on July 23 in Columbus, Ohio, as one of the top 44 academy players from across the country.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals N/A
Assists N/A
Shots on Goal N/A
Shots N/A
Fouls Committed N/A Fouls Suffered N/A
Last Regular Season... Appearance N/A Goal N/A Assist N/A
2025 Record when: he
James signed an amateur academy contract for Sporting KC II in 2024 and earned his SKC II debut on March 17, 2024 - a 2-1 win over Houston Dynamo 2. James logged 10 appearances in his first MLS NEXT Pro campaign.
James earned his first selection to the U.S. U-16 Men’s National Team in April 2024 for a training camp in Florida before returning to the U-16 squad the following month for a training camp in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In November 2024, James was called up for a U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team training camp in West Palm Beach, Florida - his first inclusion at that age level.
Height: 5-9
Weight: 165
Hometown: Friolzheim, Germany
Last Club: Hamburger SV (Germany)
#14 | D | TIM LEIBOLD
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, 2 times, last: May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Assists 1, 7 times, last: March 15, 2025, KC vs. MIN
Shots on Goal 2, March 30, 2024, KC at TOR
Shots 2, 5 times, last: March 1, 2025, KC vs. SJ
Fouls Committed 3, 2 times, last: July 20, 2024, KC vs. STL
Fouls Suffered 5, March 9, 2024, KC at LAFC
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Assist March 15, 2025, KC vs. MIN
2025 Record when: he starts 0-2-0 he scores 0-0-1
Birthday: 11/30/1993
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 1/12/2023
Tim Leibold joined Sporting Kansas City in January 2023 having amassed more than 20 goals and 40 assists in nearly 300 professional appearances in his native Germany. Leibold is the third German newcomer at Sporting since the start of 2022, following center back Robert Voloder and midfielder Erik Thommy. Since joining the club, Leibold has tallied two goals and seven assists in 65 appearances across all competitions.
Leibold spent eight seasons across Germany’s top two divisions from 2015-2022. He starred at Nurnberg from 2015-2019 before moving to Hamburg, where he served as club captain during the 2020-21 campaign. Leibold developed in youth academies at VfB Stuttgart, TSF Ditzingen and SGV Freiberg before turning professional with Freiberg at
age 18 in 2012. Leibold enjoyed a breakthrough in 2015 by joining 2. Bundesliga side Nurnburg and solidifying his place as a regular starter. The 2018-19 campaign saw Leibold lead Nurnburg with 32 Bundesliga starts while also assisting three goals. Competing in one of the world’s best leagues, he led the team in key passes, tackles, recoveries and touches while placing second in minutes played.
Leibold then returned to the 2. Bundesliga with a move to Hamburg, where he had his best professional season to date in 2019-20. He played every minute of all 34 league matches and led the 2. Bundesliga with 16 assists. At the international level, Leibold played five matches for the Germany U-20s in 2013.
#15 | D | JANSEN MILLER
Height: 6-2 Weight: 180 Birthday: 2/10/2002
Hometown: St. Louis, Missouri
College: Indiana University
Acquired: 2025 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#8)
Sporting Kansas City signed Jansen Miller ahead of the 2025 season after selecting the defender with the eighth overall pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft out of Indiana University. A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Miller became Kansas City’s highest draft pick for a defender since longtime captain and U.S. international Matt Besler was also taken eighth overall in the 2009 draft.
Miller played 77 total matches in four college seasons, logging 27 appearances at Xavier in 2021 before transferring to Indiana and featuring in 50 games or the Hoosiers from 2022-2024. He was a Second-Team All-Big Ten selection in 2024, concluding his collegiate career with a third straight NCAA tournament berth and scoring a golden goal
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 0 Assists 0 Shots on Goal 1, March 29, 2025, KC at DAL Shots 1, 2 times, last: April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal N/A
Assist N/A
2025 Record when: he starts 3-5-1
against Akron in the second round of the postseason. During his time at IU, the Hoosiers were College Cup finalists in 2022, Big Ten tournament champions in 2023 and finished atop the conference regular season standings in each of his final two years. In addition to his time on campus, Miller also played for USL League Two teams St. Louis Scott Gallagher (2021), Long Island Rough Riders (2023) and Ocean City Nor’easters (2024).
Miller played for Saint Louis FC in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, where he was named to the USC Youth Boys All-Central Region Team in 2019. He signed amateur academy contracts with Saint Louis FC in 2019 and 2020, training regularly at the USL Championship level.
#7 | F | SANTIAGO MUNOZ
Height: 5-10
Weight: 150 Birthday: 8/14/2002
Hometown: El Paso, Texas
Last Club: Santos Laguna (Mexico)
Acquired: Acquired on loan on 4/22/2025
Sporting Kansas City acquired forward Santiago Munoz on loan from LIGA MX side Santos Laguna in April for the remainder of the 2025 season. Munoz’s loan comes with an option for Sporting to exercise a permanent transfer at the end of 2025.
Munoz, a dual citizen of the United States and Mexico, recorded six goals and six assists in 81 appearances for Santos Laguna since debuting for the club in 2020. He has played 73 matches in the top-flight LIGA MX while also featuring in Leagues Cup and competing for the Newcastle United U-21s in England from 2021-2023.
Height: 5-8 Weight: 170 Birthday: 2/9/2000
Hometown: La Louviere, Belgium
Last Club: EA Guingamp (France)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 1/14/2022
Logan Ndenbe joined Sporting in a transfer from French team EA Guingamp in January 2022. Ndenbe arrived in Kansas City after spending his first five professional seasons in Europe with Belgian top-flight side KV Oostende and Guingamp.
Ndenbe has made 71 appearances for the club in all competitions, tallying three goals and two assists with two goals coming in the 2023 MLS Cup Playoffs series against St. Louis. Ndenbe suffered a torn ACL in the second match against St. Louis on Nov. 5, 2023 and returned to the field exactly nine months later on Aug. 5, 2024.
During the 2024-25 LIGA MX season, Munoz scored two goals across 15 Apertura matches prior to making an additional 12 Clausura appearances this spring.
On the international stage, Munoz has represented Mexico at the U-17, U-21 and U-23 levels, notably winning the 2019 Concacaf U-17 Championship and helping El Tri to a second-place finish at the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup. He also played for Mexico’s senior national team in January, participating in exhibitions against Brazilian club SC Internacional and Argentine powerhouse River Plate.
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Assists 1, Oct. 7, 2023, KC at RSL
Shots on Goal 1, 6 times, last: April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Fouls Suffered 4, 2 times, last: July 3, 2022, KC vs. NY
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 4, 2025, KC vs. LA
Goal April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Assist Oct. 7, 2023, KC at RSL
2025 Record when: he starts 3-6-1 he scores 1-0-0
Ndenbe developed in the Royal Excel Mouscron academy before joining KV Oostende as a 17-year-old in 2017. Ndenbe left Belgium in July 2020, signing for Guingamp to mark the start of a successful stint in the French Ligue 2.
On the youth international stage, Ndenbe rose through the Belgian U-17 and U-18 teams before earning his Belgium U-21 debut in June 2021 for his first of six matches in 2023 UEFA European Under-21 Championship qualifying. He started in four games during qualifying, helping the team go 3-0-1.
#1 | GK | JOHN PULSKAMP
Height: 6-4
Weight: 205 Birthday: 4/19/2001
Hometown: Bakersfield, California
Last Club: Sporting Kansas City II (USL Championship)
Acquired: Signed as a Homegrown Player on 2/24/2020
John Pulskamp joined Sporting KC as a Homegrown Player ahead of the 2020 season after acquiring his Homegrown rights from the LA Galaxy where he spent two seasons in the club’s Academy. He earned his MLS debut in the 2021 season opener, helping the side to a 2-1 victory at the New York Red Bulls and has made 42 regular-season appearances for the club in MLS play, tallying eight shutouts.
Pulskamp became the youngest goalkeeper in Sporting KC history to record a shutout following a 2-0 win over the LA Galaxy on Oct. 27, 2021 at the age of 20 years and 191 days. He enjoyed a breakout year in 2022 when he deputized for an injured Tim Melia to make 15 starts in all competitions, posting an 8-3-4 record.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals Allowed 4, 3 times, last: April 13, 2025, KC vs. POR Saves 7, July 17, 2022, KC at RSL
Last Regular Season... Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL Shutout May 4, 2025, KC vs. LA 2025 Record when: he starts 3-8-2
Pulskamp joined the MLS ranks on the heels of a breakout 2019 USL Championship season with SKC II. Pulskamp arrived in Kansas City in April 2019 after a two-year stint in the LA Galaxy Academy. He also spent time on trial with English Premier League outfit AFC Bournemouth in the summer of 2018. Prior to joining the Galaxy, he represented youth sides Real So Cal and Central California Aztecs.
Pulskamp was called in to a U.S. Men’s National Team training camp in December 2021 and was named as an alternate for the U.S. Olympic Team at the 2024 Paris Olympics. At the youth international level, Pulskamp has represented the U.S. at the U-18 and U-20 levels.
#6 | M | NEMANJA RADOJA
Height: 6-0 Weight: 175 Birthday: 2/6/1993
Hometown: Novi Sad, Serbia
Last Club: Levante (Spain) Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 10/26/2022
Nemanja Radoja signed with Sporting KC ahead of the 2023 campaign, having spent most of the last decade in the Spanish La Liga with Celta Vigo and Levante. Radoja played nearly 300 matches across the top divisions of Serbia and Spain and also boasts experience in the UEFA Europa League with Vojvodina and Celta Vigo. Radoja has tallied one goal and nine assists in 72 appearances across all competitions since joining SKC.
Radoja began his professional career with Serbian club Vojvodina before embarking on an eight-year journey in La Liga. He logged 181 La Liga appearances from 2014-2022, playing alongside Sporting defender Andreu Fontas at Celta Vigo from 2014-2018 and spent three seasons with Levante from 2019-2022. Radoja developed in Vojvodina’s youth academy and joined the club’s senior team in 2011 prior to brief loan spells in Serbia. Celta Vigo acquired Radoja via transfer in August 2014 and he took little time
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 1, March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA
Assists 2, 2 times, last: July 13, 2024, KC at SJ
Shots on Goal 2, March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA
Shots 3, March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA
Fouls Committed 3, 7 times, last: May 10, 2025, KC at POR
Fouls Suffered 6, March 15, 2025, KC vs. MIN
Last Regular Season... Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal March 23, 2024, KC vs. LA
Assist April 19, 2025, KC at SJ 2025 Record when: he starts 2-5-1
settling in as a key figure for Celta, regularly competing in tandem with Fontas for a team that finished eighth in 2014-15. Radoja and Celta improved upon their fortunes in 2015-16 leading to a sixth-place league finish. Celta Vigo’s 2016-17 campaign was highlighted by runs to the semifinals of the Copa del Rey and UEFA Europa League, where they fell to eventual champions Manchester United. Radoja moved to Levante ahead of the 2019-20 campaign. His first year at the club was highlighted by scoring in a 3-1 upset win over European powerhouse FC Barcelona.
On the international stage, Radoja has two caps for the Serbia Men’s National Team. He earned his senior debut in a friendly match at Ukraine in November 2016 and made one appearance in Serbia’s successful qualifying campaign ahead of the 2018 FIFA World Cup. As a youth, Radoja represented Serbia at the U-18 through U-21 levels.
Height: 5-8
Weight: 155
Hometown: El Campo, Texas
Last Club: Austin FC (MLS)
#8 | M | MEMO RODRIGUEZ
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, 2 times, last: July 13, 2020, HOU at LAFC (w/ HOU)
Assists 1, 22 times, last: July 7, 2024, KC vs. DAL
Shots on Goal 3, 3 times, last: July 24, 2021, HOU at SJ (w/ HOU)
Shots 7, 2 times, last: April 16, 2021, HOU vs. SJ (w/ HOU)
Fouls Committed 5, June 18, 2022, HOU at ORL (w/ HOU)
Fouls Suffered 5, 2 times, last: June 29, 2022, HOU at POR (w/ HOU)
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 4, 2025, KC vs. LA
Goal July 7, 2024, KC vs. DAL
Assist July 7, 2024, KC vs. DAL
2025 Record when: he starts 0-2-0 he scores 0-0-0
Birthday: 12/27/1995
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 2/1/2024
Sporting Kansas City signed midfielder Memo Rodriguez ahead of the 2024 MLS campaign. Prior to joining Sporting, Rodriguez scored 34 goals in 227 professional club appearances since joining the Houston Dynamo as a homegrown player in late 2014. He spent seven MLS seasons in Houston, notably winning the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, prior to representing both LA Galaxy and Austin FC in 2023. Rodriguez has tallied three goals and six assists in 40 appearances across all competitions for Sporting.
Born in Wharton, Texas, and raised in nearby El Campo, Rodriguez entered the Houston Dynamo Academy in 2011. He was named its Academy Player of the Year in 2012 and 2013 before launching his MLS career at age 18, inking a Homegrown Player deal with
the Dynamo ahead of the 2015 season. He spent most of his debut campaign on loan with the Charleston Battery in the USL Championship before joining Rio Grande Valley, Houston’s then-affiliate, for a breakout 2016 season. Rodriguez rejoined Houston in 2017 and made his MLS debut on April 8, 2017. In 2018, Rodriguez won the U.S. Open Cup with Houston before being named the Dynamo Young Player of the Year in 2019.
The Galaxy signed Rodriguez as a free agent in January 2023. He scored his first goal for the club in a thrilling 3-2 road win over Real Salt Lake on May 31 before moving to Austin FC in a trade on Aug. 1. He played nine MLS matches for Austin and finished the year with 21 league appearances, notching one goal and two assists.
#5 | D | DANY ROSERO
Height: 6-2
Weight: 205 Birthday: 10/6/1993
Hometown: Tumaco, Colombia
Last Club: Atletico Junior (Colombia)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 3/2/2023
Sporting Kansas City acquired center back Dany Rosero in a transfer from Colombian side Atletico Junior in March 2023. Rosero eclipsed 300 professional appearances across Argentina and his native Colombia, scoring 20 goals and competing in the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana. Beginning his career at Argentine club Arsenal de Sarandi as a teenager, the defender spent seven seasons in the Colombian top-flight Categoria Primera A with Patriotas Boyacá, Deportivo Cali and Junior. To date, Rosero has tallied seven goals in 67 appearances across all competitions for Sporting KC.
Born in Colombia, Rosero moved to Argentina to join Arsenal’s youth academy and began his professional career with the club in 2012. He enjoyed a pair of early breakthroughs by helping Arsenal win the 2013 Copa Argentina and by appearing in the 2014 Copa Libertadores. Rosero returned to his home country in 2016 with Patriotas Boyacá where
Regular Season Game
times, last: June 22, 2024, KC at CLB
Fouls Suffered 3, 2 times, last: April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL
Last Regular Season...
Appearance April 5, 2025, KC vs. STL
Goal April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR
Assist N/A
2025 Record when: he
strong performances paved the way for Rosero to join Colombian powerhouse Deportivo Cali in 2017. Rosero delivered his most dominant season to date in 2019, scoring seven goals and starting 55 games in all competitions, with Deportivo Cali finishing as Copa Colombia runners-up.
In 2020, Rosero signed for Colombian heavyweights Junior and played in both the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana, making 11 starts across the two tournaments. The following season, Rosero made seven appearances in the Copa Libertadores and one in the Copa Sudamericana while scoring three goals in 33 Primera A matches as Junior finished fifth in the aggregate league table. Rosero remained one of the Colombian first division’s best center backs in 2022, starting 36 league games and propelling Junior to the Copa Colombia finals.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 160
Hometown: Budapest, Hungary
Last Club: Sporting KC Academy
#10 | F | DANIEL SALLOI
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 2, 5 times, last: April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Assists 2, 6 times, last: April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Shots on Goal 4, 3 times, last: July 13, 2019, KC at VAN
Shots 8, May 5, 2018, KC vs. COL
Fouls Committed 4, June 7, 2019, KC at TOR
Fouls Suffered 5, July 31, 2021, KC vs. DAL
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Assist May 14, 2025, KC at STL
2025 Record when: he starts 3-5-1 he scores 1-1-1
Birthday: 7/19/1996
Acquired: Signed as Homegrown Player on 1/13/2016
Daniel Salloi signed with Sporting KC as a Homegrown Player in early 2016 and made his Sporting KC debut on April 9, 2017. After enjoying a breakout campaign in 2018 where he tallied 16 goals and seven assists in all competitions, Salloi rebounded from a few lean years to be named an MLS All-Star and an MLS MVP finalist in 2021 after recording 16 goals and 10 assists in all competitions, tying the club record for most non-penalty goals in a single MLS regular season. His 17 game-winning goals are the most in club history.
Salloi, who signed a new four-year contract in late 2022, enjoyed another productive year in 2023 by leading the team with 22 goal contributions (10 goals, 12 assists) and has recorded 64 goals and 46 assists in 267 appearances across all competitions. Salloi scored on his first start for the club - a 4-0 win over Minnesota United in the U.S. Open Cup on June 14, 2017 - and added his first MLS goal vs. Portland on July 1, 2017 before scoring the winning goal in the 2017 U.S. Open Cup Final against the Red Bulls.
Salloi moved to the U.S. in 2014 as an AFS exchange student and attended Blue Valley Northwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas, joining the SKC Academy. Salloi briefly returned to his former Hungarian Academy side Ujpest FC in July 2015 where he made his pro debut on July 18, 2015 before returning to Kansas City in 2016. He split the 2016 season on loan with SKC II and Gyirmot SE in Hungary before joining the Sporting KC first team full-time in 2017.
Salloi has four caps for the senior Hungary National Team, having made his debut in a World Cup Qualifier against England on Sept. 2, 2021. He previously played for the Hungary Under-21 National Team.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 200 Birthday: 3/8/2002
Hometown: Marietta, Georgia
College: Georgetown
Acquired: 2024 MLS SuperDraft 1st Round (#22)
Sporting Kansas City selected goalkeeper Ryan Schewe as the 22nd overall pick in the first round of MLS SuperDraft 2024. In two outstanding seasons as a starter at Georgetown University from 2022-2023, Schewe posted a 20-4-4 record with a 0.79 goals against average, 12 clean sheets and 86 saves. He enjoyed a breakout season as a junior in 2022, landing Second Team All-BIG EAST recognition after leading the conference in save percentage (.838) and shutouts (seven) en route to an 11-2-1 record.
During his senior year in 2023, Schewe propelled the Hoyas to the BIG EAST regular season championship with a 9-2-3 record and led the conference with the lowest goals against average (0.84) and the most shutouts (five). He punctuated his final college
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals Allowed N/A Saves N/A Last Regular Season... Appearance N/A Shutout N/A
campaign with BIG East Goalkeeper of the Year and First Team All-BIG EAST honors while also receiving United Soccer Coaches Second Team All-East Region accolades.
In addition to playing for Georgetown, Schewe competed as an amateur for Georgia club Apotheos FC of the National Premier Soccer League in 2022 and the New York-based Westchester Flames of USL League Two in 2023. At the youth level, the Georgia native spent three years each with the Atlanta United Academy and United Football Academy in his home state.
Height: 6-3
Weight: 185
Hometown: Austin, Texas
College: Oregon State
Last Club: SC Paderborn 07 (Germany)
#11 | D | KHIRY SHELTON
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, 18 times, last: June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
Assists 3, Sept. 23, 2016, NYC vs. CHI (w/ NYC)
Shots on Goal 4, July 17, 2020, KC vs. COL
Shots 6, May 5, 2018, KC vs. COL
Fouls Committed 4, 2 times, last: Oct. 21, 2018, KC at FCD Fouls Suffered 4, April 11, 2015, NYC at PHI (w/ NYC)
Last Regular Season... Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal June 10, 2023, KC vs. ATX
Assist June 8, 2024, KC vs. SEA
2025 Record when: he starts 2-3-0 he scores 0-0-0
Birthday: 6/26/1993
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 12/9/2019
Khiry Shelton is in the midst of his second stint with Sporting Kansas City, having initially helped the club to a first place in the Western Conference and a record-breaking scoring season in 2018, before departing to play in Germany with SC Paderborn 07 for one season in 2019. He returned to the club ahead of the 2020 season and has tallied 15 goals and 19 assists across 173 appearances for the club.
Shelton was selected second overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft by expansion side New York City FC and spent three seasons with the club before initially arriving in KC via trade ahead of the 2018 season.
He was NYCFC’s first-ever SuperDraft pick and played a total of 54 regular-season games for the club, notching six goals and 10 assists across just 23 starts.
In college, Shelton attended Oregon State University where he was an NSCAA All-America Second Team selection; Pac-12 Player of the Year; All-Far West Region First Team as he helped lead the Beavers to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2003 during his senior year. Shelton was a member of the U.S. U-18 National Team as a youth player.
Height: 5-7
Weight: 155
Hometown: Makhachkala, Russia
Last Club: Aris Thessaloniki (Greece)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 2/3/2025
#93 | F | SHAPI SULEYMANOV
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, April 13, 2025, KC vs. POR Assists 1, 4 times, last: May 14, 2025, KC at STL Shots on Goal 1, 2 times, last: April 13, 2025, KC vs. POR
Shots 3, 2 times, last: April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
Fouls Committed 2, April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Fouls Suffered 5, March 15, 2025, KC vs. MIN
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal April 13, 2025, KC vs. POR
Assist May 14, 2025, KC at STL
2025 Record when: he starts 3-7-1 he scores 0-1-0
Birthday: 12/16/1999
Sporting Kansas City acquired winger Shapi Suleymanov in a transfer from Greek side Aris Thessaloniki ahead of the 2025 season. In eight years as a professional, Suleymanov has recorded 55 goals and 46 assists while making over 300 appearances in Russia, Turkey, Israel and Greece.
Suleymanov developed in the FC Krasnodar academy and broke into the club’s first team as a 17-year-old in 2017. That summer, he marked his second career appearance with a 93rd-minute goal to seal a 2-1 victory over Danish side Lyngby in 2017-18 Europa League qualifying. Suleymanov enjoyed a breakout season in 2018-19, finishing with 11 goals in all competitions. The following season saw Suleymanov strike twice in a 3-2 road win at FC Porto in the Champions League, highlighting another strong campaign in which the winger helped Krasnodar to its second consecutive third-place finish in the RPL. In
2020-21, Suleymanov again eclipsed five total goals for the third straight year Suleymanov spent the next two seasons on loan, joining Turkish Super Lig side Giresunspor in 2021-22- tallying three goals and three assists - and Hapoel Be’er Sheva of the Israeli Premier League in 2022-23, where he recorded five goals and five assists as a key contributor. Suleymanov was loaned to Aris for the 2023-24 season and made a strong impression in his debut campaign, notching six goals and four assists across all competitions, leading to a permanent transfer to Aris in 2024.
As a Russian youth international, Suleymanov had six goals and three assists at the U-16 level and added two goals as a U-17 player, before making 12 appearances for the U-18s from 2016 to 2017. He continued to ascend the youth ranks with two goals for the U-19s in late 2017 and three goals for the U-21s from 2019 to 2020.
#26 | M | ERIK THOMMY
Height: 5-8
Weight: 155 Birthday: 8/20/1994
Hometown: Wettenhausen, Germany
Last Club: VfB Stuttgart (Germany)
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 6/23/2022
Erik Thommy, a German Bundesliga veteran, signed with Sporting KC in June 2022. Thommy previously recorded 42 goals and 33 assists across nine seasons in his native Germany - including nine goals, 14 assists and 96 appearances in the top-flight Bundesliga. He scored his first goal for Sporting in the 4-2 victory over the LA Galaxy on Aug. 6, 2022 and has tallied 18 goals and 22 assists in 108 appearances across all competitions for the club.
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 2, 2 times, last: Sept. 18, 2024, KC vs. COL Assists 2, Sept. 2, 2023, KC vs. STL
Shots on Goal 4, 2 times, last: March 11, 2023, KC vs. LA Shots 8, 2 times, last: June 19, 2024, KC vs. RSL
Fouls Committed 4, April 20, 2024, KC vs. STL
Fouls Suffered 6, Oct. 19, 2024, KC at DAL
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal April 19, 2025, KC at SJ
Assist April 26, 2025, KC at CIN
2025 Record when: he starts 0-4-2 he scores 1-1-0
Capable of playing in an advanced midfield role or on the wing, Thommy launched his professional career with FC Augsburg in 2014 before going on loan to FC Kaiserslautern (2014-2016) and Jahn Regensburg (2016-2017). Thommy joined VfB Stuttgart in 2017, starred for Fortuna Dusseldorf during a successful loan spell in 2019-2020, and ended his time at Stuttgart in the Spring of 2022 by appearing in each of the club’s last six matches of the 2021-2022 campaign.
Height: 6-1
Weight: 180 Birthday: 10/16/1998
Hometown: South Orange, New Jersey
Last Club: Portland Timbers (MLS)
Acquired: Signed as Free Agent on 1/13/2025
Thommy developed in academies at SV Kleinbeuren (2000-2002), SSV Ulm (2002-2009) and TSG Thannhausen (2009-2010) before moving to FC Augsburg. He signed for FC Augsburg II in 2013 and made his Bundesliga debut with Augsburg’s senior team as a 19-year-old in February 2014.
#13 | F | MASON TOYE
Regular Season Game Highs:
Goals 2, 5 times, last: June 10, 2023, MTL vs. MIN (w/ MTL)
Assists 1, 6 times, last: June 21, 2023, MTL vs. NSH (w/ MTL)
Shots on Goal 4, July 17, 2021, MTL vs. CIN (w/ MTL)
Shots 6, Sept. 22, 2019, MIN at POR (w/ MIN)
Fouls Committed 3, 5 times, last: Aug. 14, 2021, MTL vs. NY (w/ MTL)
Fouls Suffered 2, 9 times, last: March 18, 2023, MTL vs. PHI (w/ MTL)
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal April 20, 2024, MTL vs. ORL (w/ MTL)
Assist June 21, 2023, MTL vs. NSH (w/ MTL)
2025 Record when: he starts 0-0-0 he scores 0-0-0
Sporting Kansas City signed forward Mason Toye via free agency ahead of the 2025 season. Toye joins Sporting after scoring 25 goals in 140 appearances across his first seven professional seasons, including MLS stints with Minnesota United (2018-2020), CF Montreal (2020-2024) and the Portland Timbers (2024).
Toye began his professional career with Minnesota as the seventh overall pick in the 2018 MLS SuperDraft. Toye enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign with eight goals and three assists in all competitions. In October 2020, Toye was traded from Minnesota to Montreal. His first full season north of the border in 2021 yielded an MLS career-high seven goals, while Toye’s 2022 campaign was highlighted by a brace in a 2-1 comeback
win over Seattle during Montreal’s best regular season in club history. Toye bagged three more goals for Montreal in 2023 before being traded to the Portland Timbers in July 2024. Toye played one season of college soccer at Big Ten powerhouse Indiana in 2017, posting 10 goals and two assists, landing Big Ten Freshman of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten accolades.
On the international stage, Toye has competed for the United States at the U-19, U-20 and U-23 levels. He scored goals in each of his first two appearances for the U-23s, a 2-0 triumph over Japan in September 2019 and a 6-1 victory versus El Salvador the following month.
#4 | D | ROBERT VOLODER
Height: 6-0
Weight: 175 Birthday: 5/9/2001
Hometown: Frankfurt, Germany
Last Club: NK Maribor (Slovenia)
Acquired: Acquired in transfer on 1/19/2022
Robert Voloder arrived in Kansas City in a transfer from NK Maribor in the Slovenian first division ahead of the 2022 MLS season. Voloder had played every minute for Slovenian powerhouse Maribor during the 2021-22 season before making the move to MLS. Since joining Sporting KC, Voloder has made 69 appearances in all competitions and tallied his first MLS goal against D.C. United on Sept. 13, 2022.
Prior to joining Maribor, Voloder began his professional career at heralded German side FC Cologne. He developed in the club’s academy from 2016-2020 before being selected to Cologne’s first team squad for three German Bundesliga matches at the end of the
Regular Season Game Highs: Goals 1, Sept. 13, 2022, KC vs. DC
Assists 1, 2 times, last: April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR
Shots on Goal 1, Sept. 13, 2022, KC vs. DC
Shots 1, 5 times, last: Sept. 15, 2024, KC at SEA Fouls Committed 2, 6 times, last: May 14, 2025, KC at STL Fouls Suffered 4, April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR
Last Regular Season...
Appearance May 14, 2025, KC at STL
Goal Sept. 13, 2022, KC vs. DC
Assist April 7, 2024, KC vs. POR
2025 Record when: he starts 1-5-2 he scores 0-0-0
2019-20 campaign. Voloder featured regularly for FC Cologne II in 2020-21, starting all 26 appearances.
On the youth international stage, Voloder represented Bosnia and Herzegovina at the U-17 through U-19 levels from 2017-2019 before switching his national team allegiance to Germany in September 2019, debuting for the country’s U-19s in a friendly against England. He played his first of five matches for the German U-20s in the fall of 2020 and recently captained the team in an Under 20 Elite League matchup against Norway on Sept. 6, 2021.
SINGLE SEASON RECORDS (FIELD
Games C.J. Sapong (2011), Ilie Sanchez (2018), Graham Zusi (2018), Luis Martins (2021), Felipe Hernandez (2022), Remi Walter (2022)
Ilie Sanchez (2018), Graham Zusi (2018)
Dom Dwyer (2014)
Preki (1997 & 2003)
Davy Arnaud (2004)
Aurelien Collin (2013)
Davy Arnaud (2010), Roger Espinoza (2019)
SINGLE SEASON RECORDS (GOALKEEPERS)
Jimmy Nielsen (2012 & 2013), Tim Melia (2018)
Jimmy Nielsen (2012 & 2013), Tim Melia (2018)
Digital Takawira (1998), Preki (1998), Davy Arnaud (2004), Eddie Johnson (twice
1.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL ALL-TIME CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
1.
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL SINGLE-SEASON CHARTS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
Year Player GP SV
2000 Tony Meola 31 129
2003 Tony Meola 30 121
2008 Kevin Hartman 30 117
2005 Bo Oshoniyi 32 112
2019 Tim Melia 32 111 SHUTOUTS
Year Player GP SO
2000 Tony Meola 31 16
2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 15
2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 13
2018 Tim Melia 34 13
2008 Kevin Hartman 30 10
2010 Jimmy Nielsen 29 10
2017 Tim Melia 31 10
GOALKEEPER WINS
Year Player GP GW
1997 Mike Ammann 29 21
2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 18
2018 Tim Melia 34 18
2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 17
2000 Tony Meola 31 15
1996 Garth Lagerwey 23 12
2011 Jimmy Nielsen 31 12
2017 Tim Melia 31 12
GOALS AGAINST AVERAGE Year Player GP GA GAA
2017 Tim Melia 31 24 0.78
2012 Jimmy Nielsen 34 27 0.79
2013 Jimmy Nielsen 34 30 0.88
2000 Tony Meola 31 29 0.92
2004 Tony Meola 21 22 1.05
*Minimum 1,000 minutes played
SPORTING KANSAS CITY INDIVIDUAL HIGHS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
GOALS
Career: 71 Preki
Season: 22 Dom Dwyer (2014)
Game: 3 10 times
Half: 3 Vitalis Takawira (05/16/1998 at NE, 2nd)
Half: 3 Eddie Johnson (06/02/2007 vs. NY, 2nd)
Half: 3 Gerso Fernandes (05/17/2017 vs. SEA, 2nd)
ASSISTS
Career: 98 Preki
Season: 17 Preki (1997)
Season: 17 Preki (2003)
Game: 4 Chris Henderson (06/20/1999 vs. MET)
Half: 3 Chris Henderson (06/20/1999 vs. MET, 1st)
Half: 3 Preki (06/21/2003 vs. CHI, 1st)
SHOTS
Career: 693 Preki
Season: 140 Preki (1996)
Game: 12 Preki (04/12/1997 at TB)
Half: 8 Preki (04/12/1997 at TB, 2nd)
Half: 8 Onandi Lowe (08/12/2001 at COL, 2nd)
Half: 8 Preki (07/06/2002 vs. DAL, 2nd)
GOALS
Season: 65 in 2018
Game: 7 03/30/2019 vs. MTL
2-Tms: 10 05/02/1996 vs. CLB
Half: 5 05/02/1996 vs. CLB (2nd)
Half: 5 06/21/1997 vs. DC (2nd)
ASSISTS
Season: 69 in 2018
Game: 10 06/20/1999 vs. MET
2-Tms: 12 07/04/2001 vs. CHI
Half: 8 06/20/1999 vs. MET (1st)
SHOTS
Season: 583 in 2018
Game: 34 05/15/2016 vs. ORL
Game: 34 04/20/2018 vs. VAN
Game: 34 10/06/2018 vs. LA
2-Tms: 44 4 times
Half: 23 04/20/2018 vs. VAN (2nd)
SHOTS ON GOAL
Career: 283 Preki
Season: 61 Preki (1996)
Game: 6 Preki (05/19/1996 at LA)
Game: 6 Eddie Johnson (06/02/2007 vs. NY)
Game: 6 Alan Pulido (10/24/2020 vs. COL)
Half: 4 10 times
FOULS COMMITTED
Career: 517 Roger Espinoza
Season: 79 Chris Henderson (2000)
Game: 8 Davy Arnaud (05/29/2010 at RSL)
Game: 8 Oriol Rosell (07/27/2013 at MTL)
Half: 7 Scott Uderitz (05/11/1996 vs. DAL, 1st)
FOULS SUFFERED
Career: 528 Davy Arnaud
Season: 111 Davy Arnaud (2004)
Game: 10 Davy Arnaud (10/14/2006 at NY)
Half: 6 8 times
CORNER KICKS
Career: 800 Graham Zusi
Season: 150 Graham Zusi (2012)
Game: 12 Alex Zotinca (07/22/2006 at NY)
Half: 8 Chris Henderson (04/10/1999 vs. SJ, 2nd)
Half: 8 Chris Henderson (05/20/2000 vs. SJ, 1st)
Half: 8 Johnny Russell (08/14/2019 at ORL, 2nd)
GOALS ALLOWED
Career: 347 Tim Melia
Season: 60 Tim Melia (2019)
Game: 7 Bo Oshoniyi (07/04/2001 vs. CHI)
Game: 7 Tim Melia (09/15/2019 at LA)
Game: 7 Tim Melia (05/14/2022 at POR)
Half: 6 Tim Melia (09/15/2019 at LA, 2nd)
Half: 6 Tim Melia (05/14/2022 at POR, 2nd)
SAVES
Career: 746 Tim Melia
Season: 129 Tony Meola (2000)
Game: 10 Tim Melia (04/08/2018 at LA)
Half: 7 4 times
SPORTING KANSAS CITY TEAM HIGHS (MLS REGULAR SEASON)
