For the first time in the 25-year history of Major League Soccer, the month of February will mark the start of regular season play. On Feb. 29, clubs across the United States and Canada will step between the white lines with hopes of collecting three points to begin 2020.
A delectable opening day of MLS action will see Sporting Kansas City visit Vancouver Whitecaps FC at 9:30 p.m. CT, giving supporters their first real look at Manager Peter Vermes’ side since last October.
As the anticipated date approaches, SportingKC.com will roll out a 28-day countdown to first kick, offering a comprehensive preview of the season ahead. From key storylines and positional breakdowns to new fan initiatives and perks at Children’s Mercy Park, our Countdown to Kickoff series will highlight the many reasons to be pumped for Sporting’s 2020 campaign. To visit the series homepage as it expands, head to SportingKC.com/countdown.
Sporting Kansas City’s professional player pathway has its foundations in the Academy, a breeding ground for homegrown talent that Manager Peter Vermes has frequently cited as the lifeblood of the club as Major League Soccer enters a new era of high spending abroad and youth development in the proverbial backyard.
Exactly a decade ago, Sporting had yet to sign their first Homegrown Player. Fast-forward to present day, and Sporting has inked no less than a dozen Homegrown Players—including seven members of the current MLS roster.
The Sporting KC Academy’s first-team presence is not only quantitative but increasingly qualitative, which was plain to see during the first leg of preseason training in Arizona. In consecutive 4-0 friendly wins over a squad of Phoenix Rising FC trialists and MLS side FC Cincinnati, Academy products combined for a jarring six goals and three assists.
As the calendar turns to 2020, it’s undeniable that the Sporting KC Academy has begun to bear legitimate fruit in the form of MLS-level production. Certain homegrown youngsters such as Daniel Salloi and Gianluca Busio have garnered palpable buzz in recent seasons, while several others will feel like they have plenty to prove in the months to come.
With that in mind, it’s time to dive into a quickfire preview of Sporting’s Academy products. In addition to profiling the seven Homegrown Players under MLS contract, we have also saved space for Sporting KC II duo Wilson Harris and Kaveh Rad as well as current Academy standouts Jake Davis and Tucker Lepley—all four of whom joined the senior team for the first leg of preseason.
Gianluca Busio – Sporting KC (age 17)
Fresh off a breakout 2019 campaign that saw him become the youngest MLS player to score in consecutive matches, Busio vaults into 2020 as one of the best prospects in American soccer. The versatile playmaker scored twice in Sporting’s 4-0 win over the Rising FC trialists on Jan. 25 and figures to be an integral contributor at the U.S. U-20 level for the foreseeable future.
Cameron Duke – Sporting KC (age 18)
The younger brother of Academy product and current Sporting KC II midfielder Christian Duke, Cameron inked a Homegrown deal last summer. With an engine that never stops, the Overland Park native can patrol the center of the midfield or cover tons of ground as an outside back.
Tyler Freeman – Sporting KC (age 17)
Freeman signed a Homegrown contract at age 15—a clear indication of his upside as an attack-minded player. He opened his professional scoring account for Sporting KC II last season and has featured in both of Sporting’s preseason matches thus far, notching an assist to Busio on Jan. 25.
Felipe Hernandez – Sporting KC (age 21)
Last August, Hernandez became the first-ever player to progress through Sporting’s full player pathway—climbing from Academy Affiliate club to Sporting KC Academy to Sporting KC II and finally putting pen to paper on an MLS contract. His eight goals and industrious bite in the midfield helped him claim 2019 Sporting KC II player of the year honors.
Wan Kuzain – Sporting KC (age 21)
Kuzain is as technically sharp as they come and something of a set piece specialist, as evidenced by his numerous bangers in a Sporting KC II uniform. Long dubbed the “Malaysian Messi,” Kuzain has a cerebral feel for the game in the defensive midfield.
Jaylin Lindsey – Sporting KC (age 19)
Lindsey took major steps as a first team player in 2018, making 10 appearances in all competitions, but a knee injury last spring ruled him out for the first half of 2019. He finished the campaign with Sporting KC II and has put himself back into the picture for an increased MLS role in 2020, having assisted Daniel Salloi’s goal in the preseason defeat of FC Cincinnati.
Daniel Salloi – Sporting KC (age 23)
A strong argument could be made for Salloi as Sporting’s most productive Homegrown Player ever. The Hungary-born forward has logged significant playing time over the last three years and in 2018 was the club’s leading scorer with 16 goals in all competitions. After bagging a single goal last year, Salloi appears rejuvenated this time around, having scored in both preseason fixtures thus far.
Wilson Harris – Sporting KC II (age 20)
The Los Angeles native has an unquestionable knack for goal. In addition to scoring in both preseason games this season, Harris was among the top-scoring American teenagers in 2019 with a dozen tallies for Sporting KC II. He ended last term on a torrid run of attacking form, and if he keeps finding the back of the net, MLS may be his next step.
Kaveh Rad – Sporting KC II (age 18)
The North Carolina native turned fully professional late last month, signing for Sporting KC II after starting regularly for the club on an Academy contract in 2019. A native of North Carolina, Rad is primarily a center back but has the technical skillset to hold down the defensive midfield spot, as well.
Jake Davis – Sporting KC (age 18)
A native of Rochester, Michigan, Davis signed an Academy contract with Sporting KC II last year and was in line to join the U.S. U-18s in December before an untimely injury ruled him out of camp. The midfielder is back and healthy in 2020, looking to make an impact at the professional and youth international levels.
Tucker Lepley – Sporting KC (age 18)
Like Davis, Lepley inked an Academy deal with Sporting KC II in 2019 and ended the year with a call-up to the U.S. U-18s. The North Carolina native may be diminutive in size, but Lepley’s buzzing midfield presence makes him another exciting prospect at Vermes’ disposal.
