Longtime Sporting KC defender Matt Besler is retiring from Major League Soccer after 13 seasons, he announced on social media Wednesday. Besler spent 12 seasons with Sporting Kansas City before signing with Austin FC in 2021.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the experiences and relationship the game brought me,” Besler said in a statement. “Soccer will always be a part of my life and I can’t wait for the next adventure. I’m so excited to start a new challenge and look forward to approaching it with the same determination I had while playing.”
Besler, a Kansas City native, became a mainstay with his hometown club after they selected him in the first round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft. Throughout his career, he helped Sporting KC win three Open Cup titles in 2012, 2015 and 2017. The five-time All-Star earned MLS Defender of the Year honors in 2012 and was named to the MLS Best XI in both 2012 and 2013.
In 2014, Besler competed for the U.S. at the World Cup in Brazil, starting four matches for the Americans in the tournament. He also led the Americans to the CONCACAF Gold Cup title the same year.
Besler played his final game with Sporting KC in September of 2020 before missing the rest of the season due to injury. The longtime captain made a club-record 348 appearances (337 starts) across all competitions while leading Sporting KC in regular-season appearances (294) and starts (285).
Besler joined expansion side Austin FC as a free agent in 2021, starting in all 20 of his appearances. He retires with 47 appearances for the USMNT.
(Photo: Fernando Leon / ISI Photos/Getty Images)
