In 2017 Sporting KC took home the Lamar Cup Championship and had themselves a killer year. The players of Sporting KC stepped up and Kansas City was hungry for victory. Familiarize yourself with the great Sporting KC players and take a look at the history behind our favorite teammates. Although some players have come and gone, we will never forget those who have worn the baby blue and battled for us as a Sporting KC athlete.
Meet the Sporting KC Players
Graham Zusi:
Age: 30
Birthplace: Orlando, FL
Position: Defender/Midfielder #8
Major Achievements:
Selected by Sporting KC in 2009 in the MLS SuperDraft
Courtesy of Sporting KC
MLSSoccer.com’s Breakout Player of the Year 2011
MLS MVP Finalist 2012
U.S. Men’s National Team 2012
MLS All-Star 2013, 2014, 2015
U.S. FIFA World Cup Team 2014
U.S. Men’s National Team for Copa America Centenario 2016
MLS All-Star 2013, 2014, 2015
U.S. FIFA World Cup Team 2014
U.S. Men’s National Team for Copa America Centenario 2016
Dom Dwyer:
Age: 26
Birthplace: Cuckfield, England
Position: Forward #14
Major Achievements:
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Selected by Sporting KC in 2012 in the MLS SuperDraft
First Sporting KC player to mark three straight seasons with 12 goals
MLS All-Star 2014
Sporting KC Offensive Player of the Year 2014
Sporting KC MVP 2016
Golden Boot Winner 2016
Matt Besler:
Age: 30
Birthplace: Kansas City, MO
Position: Defender #5
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Major Achievements:
Selected by Sporting KC in 2009 in the MLS SuperDraft
Sporting KC Defender of the Year honors 2011-2013, 2015
MLS Defender of the Year 2012
Honoree of MLS Breakout Player of the Year 2012
MLS Best XI 2012, 2013
KC Sportsman of the Year 2014
MLS All-Star 2011, 2013-2016
Ilie Sanchez:
Age: 26
Birthplace: Barcelona, Spain
Position: Midfielder #6
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Major Achievements:
Picked up by Sporting KC in 2017
Member of FC Barcelona B 2009-2014
Lead Barcelona to Spanish Segunda Division
Spanish side CF 2015-2016
Part of FC Barcelona’s La Masia youth Academy
Played in all games this year
Soony Saad:
Age: 24
Birthplace: Dearborn, MI
Position: Forward #22
Major Achievements:
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Signed with Sporting KC January 2017
National Gatorade Player of the Year 2009-2010
University of Michigan single-season record with scoring
Big Ten Freshman of the Year
Signed by MLS and transferred to Sporting KC in the lottery draft 2011
U.S. Under-20 Camp 2011
Lebanon Men’s National Team 2013
Played with Sporting KC 2011-2014
Pattaya United of Thailand’s First Division 2014-2016
Ike Opara:
Age: 28
Birthplace: Durham, North Carolina
Position: Defender #3
Major Achievements:
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Picked up by Sporting KC 2013
U.S. Men’s FIFA World Cup Team 2009
Drafted by San Jose Earthquakes 2010
U-23 CONCACAF Men’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament 2012
Sporting KC Newcomer of the Year 2013
MLS Player of the Month nomination 2015
Soccer By Ives Player of the Month 2015
Benny Feilhaber: (traded to LAFC in 2018)
Age: 32
Birthplace: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Position: Midfielder #10
Major Achievements:
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Joined Sporting KC in 2013
MLS All Star 2015
U.S. Men’s National Team
Summer 2008 Olympic Soccer Team
FIFA World Cup Team 2010
Etihad Airways MLS Player of the Month Recognition 2015
Sporting KC Offensive Player of the Year 2016
Gerso Fernandes:
Age: 26
Birthplace: Bissau, Guinea-Bissau
Position: Forward #7
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Major Achievements:
First campaign with Sporting KC
Spent five seasons in Portuguese first division
Primeira Liga campaign with Belenenses 2016-2017
Started every game with Sporting KC this season
Career-high six goals in one season with Moreirense 2015
Roger Espinoza:
Age: 30
Birthplace: Puerto Cortes, Honduras
Position: Midfielder #27
Major Achievements:
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Member of Sporting KC from 2008-2012
Honduras National Team 2009
Honduras FIFA World Cup Team 2010
London Summer Olympics 2012
MLS All Star 2012
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championship
Joined Wigan Athletic 2013-2014 in English
Honduras FIFA World Cup Team 2014
Return to Sporting KC 2015
Tim Melia:
Age: 29
Birthplace: Great River, New York
Position: Goalkeeper #29
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Major Achievements:
Signed by Sporting KC 2014
Real Salt Lake 2010-2011
Chivas USA 2012-2014
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Champion 2015
MLS Comeback Player of the Year 2015
Currently leading the MLS with 7 shutouts
Jimmy Medranda:
Age: 23
Birthplace: Mosquera, Colombia
Position: Defender/Midfielder #94
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Major Achievements:
Signed by Sporting KC in 2013
Loaned to USL PRO affiliate OKC Energy FC
Signed officially with Sporting KC 2014
Deportivo Pereira (Columbia) from age 12 to the Senior Team
CONCACAF Champions League 2016
MLS Cup Playoffs 2016
Latif Blessing:
Age: 20
Birthplace: Accra, Ghana
Position: Forward #9
Courtesy of Sporting KC
Major Achievements:
First season with Sporting KC
Liberty Professionals FC of the Ghana Premier League
Ghana Premier League Player of the Year 2016
Ghanaian FA Cup MVP finalist 2016
Ghana Men’s National Team 2016
Top Three of Premier League’s Goal Chart 2016
Africa Cup of National nomination 2017
Comments are closed