Sporting Kansas City

Sporting KC was reportedly the closest MLS club to signing Cristiano Ronaldo, per multiple reports, before the veteran striker signed with Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr on Friday.

Sources can confirm: Sporting KC were the MLS team that came closest to signing Cristiano Ronaldo. Talks ongoing for weeks, it was a real possibility.

Package was very good. Plans were being made to make it happen. SKC had his "discovery rights" (i.e. path to sign him). Wild. https://t.co/MIXxIEPHHY pic.twitter.com/On4bRwasdo

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) December 31, 2022

This might be the biggest disappointment: Watching Peter Vermes deal with the media circus. I think he would have handled it very well and more people would find out he's a funny guy and not the drill sergeant he looks like on the sidelines.https://t.co/JJowAe0Cin

— Tom Bogert (@tombogert) December 31, 2022

"I am fortunate that I have won everything I set out to win in European football and feel now that this is the right moment to share my experience in Asia," Ronaldo said on Friday after making the decision to continue his club career in Saudi Arabia.

🗣️ Al-Nassr president Musalli Al-Muammar on signing Cristiano Ronaldo https://t.co/0d4T0wobi7

— Ben Jacobs (@JacobsBen) December 30, 2022

The 37-year-old went scorched earth at Manchester United in an effort to depart the club, going so far as to rip ownership and manager Erik ten Hag in an explosive interview with Piers Morgan.

Manchester United responded by terminating his contract.

The original belief was that Ronaldo was seeking a move to a Champions League club. But when no such move materialized, likely because of Ronaldo's waning impact but massive wages, he instead joined Al-Nassr on what are reportedly astronomical wages:

Here’s Cristiano Ronaldo with Al Nassr shirt after contract signed until June 2025 🚨🇵🇹🇸🇦 #Ronaldo

▫️ Agreement valid for two years and half;

▫️ Total salary will be close to €200m per year, but this includes commercial deal.

It’s the biggest salary ever in football. pic.twitter.com/ZnOg8lY6Wb

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) December 30, 2022

Ronaldo's salary will be $75m a year. With image rights payments that number will more than double. He will have unprecedented power, right up to sacking the coach should he wish. Al Nassr prepared to become "Cristiano FC" in the words of one source. https://t.co/mf5VheWUPN

— James Benge (@jamesbenge) December 30, 2022

https://twitter.com/LeanderAlphabet/status/1608934389567852544

Cristiano Ronaldo signing for Al-Nassr after being unable to find a Champions League club. European teams declined to pay £80k pw to take Ronaldo last summer when #MUFC explored exit.

He’ll earn lots more in Saudi Arabia but not career finale envisioned.https://t.co/KzRQfLM9OO

— Laurie Whitwell (@lauriewhitwell) December 30, 2022

Cristiano Ronaldo claimed to have lots of offers from big European clubs, yet this is the reality. Done deal https://t.co/yEsnHhzbKz

— Kevin Palmer 💙 (@RealKevinPalmer) December 30, 2022

"I'm thrilled for a new experience in a different league and a different country, the vision that Al-Nassr has is very inspiring," Ronaldo said. "I'm very excited to join my teammates, and to help the team to achieve more success."

It's somewhat hard to imagine that an MLS club could have offered a similar deal to the one Ronaldo received in Saudi Arabia, though a number of older stars have made their way to the MLS in the past, including David Beckham, Thierry Henry, Zlatan Ibrahimović, Wayne Rooney, Kaká, Andrea Pirlo, Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard, among others.

But none are a global icon the likes of Ronaldo, who has the most Instagram followers among individuals in the world. Without question, he would have been the biggest star in the history of MLS, and would have drawn major attention to the league.

Instead, Ronaldo fans from around the world might have to find ways to stream Saudi Pro League matches to keep up with the Portuguese dynamo.

Sporting Kansas City will not have midfielder Felipe Hernandez for the rest of the season after Major League Soccer announced Friday he was suspended without pay for gambling on MLS matches. 

MLS said Hernandez violated the league's gambling integrity rules and standards of conduct and had been suspended since July while the league and law enforcement investigated him.

He disclosed to the team in July that he was worried about his safety because of gambling debts, which kickstarted the investigation.

The investigation determined Hernandez gambled on two MLS matches as a member of Sporting Kansas City, although neither was a game involving his team. It also found no evidence suggesting any other MLS player gambled on league matches.

"No evidence was found that the integrity of any MLS match was impacted by the sports gambling activities under investigation," the announcement read.

The midfielder will be eligible for reinstatement at the end of the calendar year as long as he follows "certain directives, including ongoing counseling." The release noted he cooperated with the MLS' investigation.

Hernandez made four starts for Sporting Kansas City this year and finished the season with one goal, two assists and 13 shots. The goal was his first at the MLS level.

Sporting Kansas City has 52 points on the season and is in second place in the Western Conference standings. It is two points behind the Seattle Sounders, who have a game in hand.

Next up is a game against Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Oct. 17.

Patrick Mahomes is furthering his commitment to Kansas City.

The Chiefs quarterback, who is already a part owner of MLB's Royals, was announced as a new investor in Sporting KC on Tuesday.

“I am grateful for the opportunity to join Sporting Kansas City’s ownership team and strengthen my connection to the fans and the city I love,” Mahomes said in a statement. “Sporting is a community-oriented club and I am excited to continue supporting the growth of soccer in Kansas City.”

Mahomes' fiancee, Brittany Matthews, is also a part owner of the Kansas City NWSL team.

Sporting KC is coming off a 2020 season that saw it win the Western Conference in the regular season before being eliminated in the quarterfinals of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Their stories begin all over the world. Their soccer journeys can change lives.

It all comes together in The Academy.

      

[From B/R Football x @Audi] #GoalsDriveProgress

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhHNodHq5CU

Forget whatever reservations Sporting Kansas City manager Peter Vermes had for Chad Johnson during the former wide receiver's trial with the club in 2011—if he were given that chance again, Johnson is confident he'd make the roster.

"You know what, now, if I was able to get that trial with Sporting KC now, I would make the team," Johnson told ESPN via The Comeback's Liam McGuire (h/t MLSsoccer.com's Dan Itel). "My touch and my skill has come back. I hadn’t played football in the past five years, and I’ve been playing back on the pitch the past five years."

Johnson had the opportunity to play in a reserve game during his week with Sporting KC in 2011, during the NFL lockout.

He called his experience "unbelievable," per the video above, comparing the feeling of taking the pitch to how he felt when taking the field in front of tens of thousands of cheering NFL fans.

Though, from the sound of it, Vermes wasn't so confident in Johnson's abilities then. But if you will it, then it will, right? That seems to be Johnson's thinking.

[Sporting Kansas City, ESPN, h/t MLSsoccer.com]

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Benny Feilhaber has arguably been the best playmaker in MLS this season, recording a league-high seven assists along with the Columbus Crew's Ethan Finlay. However, it wasn't enough to convince U.S. men's national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann to add Feilhaber to his provisional Gold Cup roster.

Klinsmann's 35-man squad has plenty of depth in midfield. However, the inclusion of Feilhaber would give the U.S. some creativity it desperately lacked at the World Cup.

The Guardian's Kristan Heneage asked Feilhaber about the omission. The Sporting KC midfielder was just as baffled as everyone else by Klinsmann's decision:

I don’t expect to get called in, unfortunately. It would be big surprise for me. I would take [a call-up] by the horns and prove it to Jürgen and myself that I belong with that group. I actually wish someone in the media would ask him that question to see if he has an answer. It would help me out. You think about it and you kind of wonder [why you’re not there]. It’s only human. You think what is missing for you to get that opportunity. In the last two, three years, I’ve spoken to Jürgen and he’s told me things I’ve needed to improve on and I’ve taken it very seriously.

Feilhaber also admitted that his prospects of joining the USMNT also depend on the coach's system and his form, but he meets these criteria.

Feilhaber can seamlessly fit into Klinsmann's diamond midfield. He would ease some pressure off Michael Bradley and can help break down defenses with his passing. This would also allow Bradley to roam up and down the pitch.

The likes of Mix Diskerud and Alejandro Bedoya highlight the midfielders on the roster. They're talented players, but they don't have Feilhaber's creativity or passing abilities.

Besides Bradley, the only other player on the roster who has similar vision and technique is New England Revolution midfielder Lee Nguyen. However, the 2014 MVP candidate dealt with injuries at the start of the season and is now just starting to regain his old form.

Chemistry is also a big plus with the addition of Feilhaber. It's always tough to develop an understanding within a national team because the players are all members of different clubs, but that becomes less of an issue with Feilhaber in the squad.

Defender Matt Besler and winger Graham Zusi are both teammates of Feilhaber's, so slotting the 30-year-old beside Zusi could do wonders for the U.S. Both players know where each other will be, and they understand each other's strengths and weaknesses.

The same can be said with Besler. If the center back has to make an interception or clearance, he'll know where Feilhaber is, pass it to him and let the midfielder transition forward.

https://twitter.com/SteinlageT/status/608706361178861568

Diskerud is effective in a similar role, but he doesn't attempt as many long balls. The NYCFC midfielder averages 2.4 per game, per WhoScored.com, compared to Feilhaber's 3.3. Nguyen's average of 3.6 is higher than both, but his overall accuracy is lower. In order to counterattack effectively, the midfielders have to be able to execute longer passes.

Some would argue that Feilhaber shouldn't be included in the USMNT because of his age. He's 30, which means his agility will start to decline in a few years. However, the U.S. international will be 33 during the 2018 World Cup and can still be an attacking threat for Klinsmann if the USA needs a goal.

Teams call up their best players to give themselves the best chance at winning tournaments. That's why Klinsmann's decision to leave Landon Donovan at home for the 2014 World Cup was so odd, especially when the USMNT struggled to score in almost every game.

It's ludicrous for one of MLS' best playmakers to be omitted from the USMNT roster. If Klinsmann wants a more efficient attack, he must start monitoring Feilhaber.

Peter Galindo covers MLS and U.S. soccer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @GalindoPW.

Despite being less than a month old, the Major League Soccer offseason has already seen a ton of action.

Numerous acquisition drafts have been held, and a few clubs have ventured into the international market to sign players.

One of the busiest teams over the last few weeks has been Sporting Kansas City, who are in the middle of a much-needed rebuild following a late-season collapse in 2014. 

Some of the familiar faces like Matt Besler, Graham Zusi and Dom Dwyer will still be around for the 2015 campaign, but plenty of new names will make up the supporting cast around the three stars. 

One of the biggest moves of the offseason so far came on the day after the MLS Cup Final, when the 2013 MLS Cup champion sent defensive stalwart Aurelien Collin to expansion side Orlando City. 

While some may have been surprised by the trade, Sporting KC needed to make changes in the back four, which made countless errors throughout the final two months of the regular season.

A fond farewell from our favorite Frenchman @ampc2https://t.co/TcZCwPKig8

— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) December 9, 2014

Collin had to be moved because of issues with the salary cap, per a report from MLSSoccer.com. But Sporting did get a strong player in return, as Jalil Anibaba was sent to the club after Orlando City selected him in the expansion draft. 

Not only can Anibaba slide in at center-back next to Besler, he can also play the two full-back positions. Bringing in a versatile defender was a key move for the club, who faced plenty of defensive shortcomings with replacements in the starting 11 in 2014. 

Sporting Kansas City also made a drastic change behind the back four, as both Andy Gruenebaum and Erik Kronberg were let go and acquired by San Jose and Montreal respectively in the first stage of the re-entry draft. 

With their two top keepers from 2014 offloaded, Sporting were able to go out and sign Chilean 'keeper Luis Marin. The 6'2" goalkeeper will presumably act as a mentor to 21-year-old Jon Kempin, who was the Most Valuable Player of the Homegrown Player Game during All-Star Weekend. 

Kempin should be the man in between the pipes for the long term, but he isn't ready just yet to take on a full season in MLS. Tim Melia was also brought in off waivers to provide a bit of experience to the goalkeeping corps. 

With the experienced Marin in goal, Sporting should see an improvement in play at the position from the 2014 lineup of Gruenebaum, Kronberg and Kempin. 

Manager Peter Vermes has also made improvements to his midfield, as the club brought in James Marcelin and Bernando Anor in December. 

Marcelin, a Haitian international, is used to the style of play in MLS, as he played for FC Dallas and Portland in the past. 

The 6'2" defensive midfielder should provide a bit of a punch in the middle of the park next to Benny Feilhaber, who enjoyed a terrific 2014. With a defensive-minded player in the central part of midfield like Marcelin, Feilhaber should have a license to move forward more to propel the attack. 

Anor comes to the club from the Columbus Crew, where he scored six goals and provided one assist in 27 matches during the 2014 season. The Venezuelan is expected to bring more to the club on the wing. 

Although Zusi did have a decent season in 2014, Sporting lacked a second consistent contributor on the wing, which led to more focus on Zusi than expected. 

The biggest move of the offseason for Sporting came on December 17, when the club signed Dwyer to a contract extension. The Englishman was a breakout star in 2014 with 22 goals after a successful loan spell in 2013 at Orlando City. 

Behind Dwyer on the depth chart, there was also some player movement. C.J. Sapong was shipped off to Philadelphia, while Sporting brought in Krisztian Nemeth as his replacement. 

All six of the acquisitions made by Sporting during the early part of the offseason will make an impact on the 2015 campaign. And the club are far from done in the transfer department. 

It is widely believed the club will bring Roger Espinoza back from Wigan Athletic. An October report from the BBC claimed Espinoza was homesick and ready for a move back to Sporting Kansas City. 

Club CEO Robb Heineman also made it clear on Twitter he would not have a problem welcoming Mix Diskerud to the club, which would be a nice addition to the Sporting midfield if it happened. 

We dont have a discovery, but would do quite a bit to have @MixDiskerud in #sportingkc stripes.... MD, dont go to Mexico?

— Robb Heineman (@RobbHeineman) December 19, 2014

While some clubs have made a few key signings in the first month of the offseason, Sporting have pursued players with a purpose in order to erase the disappointing 2014 finish from the minds of their fans. 

With a solid foundation already built for the 2015 season, Sporting have the chance to come out strong as a contender in the Western Conference. If they add a player like Espinoza and a few other pieces, they could even be in the discussion for the conference championship when preseason predictions are made. 

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Dom Dwyer of Sporting Kansas City isn't just looking up to his teammates anymore. Without question, his mates are looking to him.

"He’s a very hungry forward and he is relentless when it comes to being around the box," his coach Peter Vermes told media including the Kansas City Star. "He found some very good opportunities and the second goal he finished was a fantastic finish."

It's that finishing ability that Dwyer seemed to just lack as he rose to the top of the league in shots attempted but didn't have the ratio of goals he wanted to show for it. Until Saturday in Montreal.

Dwyer finished with two goals on four shots to crack the top five in scoring. His efforts were bound to pay off, as the forward out of London is an extremely hard worker on the pitch.

If he can maintain his performance to this point in the season, he's certainly in the discussion for a spot on the MLS All-Star Game roster as a reserve player. His rising stock and impossible to dislike attitude make him a sure candidate and puts him in line to be a superstar in the league.

Dwyer is a huge reason why Sporting KC currently find themselves alone in first place in the Eastern Division. His rising shots on goal numbers are a good indicator as to why, as he's simply finding ways to put the ball in to threatening situations.

Sporting have an excellent system going with Graham Zusi feeding Dwyer, as Zusi nears the top of the league in assists. Fundamentals and teamwork are all helping Dwyer out tremendously as well.

You can catch Dwyer in action next on Wednesday, May 14, as Sporting return home to face the Philadelphia Union. That game will kick off at 7:30pm CDT and air on the Sporting KC Television Network with Callum Williams (play-by-play), Diego Gutierrez (analyst) and Jake Yadrich (sideline).

Follow Dan Irwin on Twitter @danirwinsports or on Facebook.

Sporting KC's Dom Dwyer has come a long way from his days at Tyler Community College in Texas. The skilled striker out of London has had an unconventional road to seeing his dream play out, but is right where he wants to be and playing as well as anyone in MLS today.

Dwyer has had more than just his pedigree as a staple of his resume. The Englishman can proudly boast that he is an MLS player, because it's something he's aspired to accomplish.

"I had dreams of coming to MLS," Dwyer had told The Kansas City Star following the 2012 MLS SuperDraft. "But I never really thought I would until last week."

As a sophomore at Tyler CC, Dwyer scored 37 goals and won the national junior college player of the year award. After a move up the NCAA ladder to attend the University of South Florida, he scored 16 goals in 21 games. It was undoubtedly evidence that he was MLS material.

Sporting KC picked Dwyer in the first round of the 2012 draft, No. 16 overall. He did make on-field appearances early in his career with the team, but has now morphed into a much more aggressive, well-rounded player.

Dwyer is currently No. 5 in MLS in shots attempted, and only four attempts behind the leader Clint Dempsey. He's also in the top 20 with respect to goals scored, in a log jam with several players at four goals. His hard style and experience as a leader is helping him into a role that he's filling nicely for the departed Teal Bunbury.

Not even a year has elapsed since Dwyer scored his first MLS goal against the New York Red Bulls. Yet already his determination and hard work ethic are clearly visible, and his numbers are backing up his confidence.

One of his better attempts at goal came against Real Salt Lake at Sporting Park when an acrobatic bicycle kick was only narrowly missed, in what would have certainly been MLS Goal of the Year and likely more than that.

His thoughts are something he likes to wear on his sleeve, and by thoughts we mean his humor and by sleeve we mean his Twitter account. Dwyer took a picture of himself with team ownership, insinuating that it was a negotiation tactic on a contract:

Owners 💵💵💵😁 #NewContractTactics 😉 “@SportingKC: #SportingKC's @Ddwyer14 stepping up his selfie game #selfiesunday pic.twitter.com/kCZZCIGjlq”

— Dom Dwyer (@Ddwyer14) May 5, 2014

Whether he's achieving the goals he's set for himself, working hard on the field or having some fun off of it, Dom Dwyer is going to be a winner in Kansas City and in MLS. Look for him to make the MLS All-Star team as a reserve and be a fan favorite for Sporting, perhaps for years to come.

Follow Dan Irwin on Twitter @danirwinsports or on Facebook.