Six former Kansas City players are on the final ballots for the National Soccer Hall of Fame Class of 2018 elections, U.S. Soccer announced on Monday.
Sporting Legend Chris Klein, prolific goal scorers Josh Wolff and Eddie Johnson, goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and winger Bobby Convey are among the 32 names on the Player ballot, while former midfielder Mike Burns is one of nine available selections on the Veteran ballot.
Voting begins today and runs through March 26 for the Player, Veteran Player and Builder categories, with results to be be announced at a later date. The voting pool includes all past and present full Men's and Women's National Team coaches, all active MLS and NWSL head coaches with a minimum of four years of experience as a head coach at the highest level in the United States, MLS and NWSL management representatives, the MLS and NWSL Commissioners/Executive Director, U.S. Soccer CEO/Secretary General, U.S. Soccer President, designated media members and all Hall of Famers.
The weekend of Oct. 20-21 marks the grand opening of the National Soccer Hall of Fame at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. Saturday, Oct. 20 will feature the 2018 Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and a performance from Imagine Dragons, a Grammy Award-winning rock band. On Sunday, Oct. 21, Sporting Kansas City will face FC Dallas in the National Soccer Hall of Fame Game presented by Budweiser.
Chris Klein – Player ballot
Inducted into the Sporting Legends Hall of Honor in 2015, Klein amassed 43 goals and 54 assists in 254 appearances for Kansas City from 1998-2005. We won all three major domestic trophies during his stay in KC, leading the side to a Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup double in 2000 before hoisting the 2004 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. He continued his MLS career with Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy while also scoring five goals in 22 career games for the U.S. Men’s National Team between 2000-2006.
Josh Wolff – Player ballot
Wolff scored 46 total goals for Kansas City during two separate stints with the club from 2003-2006 and 2008-2010. He ranks third on the team’s all-time goal-scoring charts and places seventh with 30 assists in all competitions. Wolff recorded nine goals in 52 career appearances for the U.S. Men’s National Team during an international career that spanned from 1999-2008, including trips to the 2002 and 2006 FIFA World Cups.
Eddie Johnson – Player ballot
Johnson tallied 17 goals and seven assists in 49 appearances for Kansas City from 2006-2007. In a superb second season with the club, Johnson scored 15 MLS goals and became the first player in league history to record back-to-back hat-tricks, doing so against the New England Revolution and the New York Red Bulls in May and June 2007. The striker earned 63 caps for the U.S. Men's National Team between 2004-2014, appearing in two matches at the 2006 World Cup and featuring in 20 World Cup qualifiers.
Kevin Hartman – Player ballot
Hartman started every MLS match for Kansas City from 2007-2009, finishing with 100 appearances for the club in all competitions. The goalkeeper pieced together a remarkable MLS career from 1997-2013, amassing 465 league appearances and winning two MLS Cups with the LA Galaxy. The MLS All-Star played six times for the U.S. Men’s National Team.
Bobby Convey – Player ballot
Convey played 16 games during Sporting KC's 2012 campaign, helping the club to an 18-9-7 record. He made 46 appearances for the U.S. Men's National Team from 2000-2008, starting two matches at both the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2006 FIFA World Cup. In 11 career MLS seasons, Convey notched 13 goals and 36 assists.
Mike Burns – Veteran ballot
Burns was a regular starter for Kansas City in 2001 and 2002, helping the club to consecutive appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs. He featured 62 times for Kansas City in all competitions to end a seven-year MLS career that began with the New England Revolution (1996-2000) and San Jose Earthquakes (2000). Burns made 75 appearances for the U.S. Men’s National Team from 1992-1998, joining the 1994 and 1998 FIFA World Cup rosters.
2018 National Soccer Hall of Fame Player Ballot
- Juan Pablo Angel
- David Beckham
- Gregg Berhalter
- Carlos Bocanegra
- Steve Cherundolo
- Brian Ching
- Bobby Convey
- Jeff Cunningham
- Jay DeMerit
- Brad Friedel
- Kevin Hartman
- Frankie Hejduk
- Thierry Henry
- Stuart Holden
- Eddie Johnson
- Chris Klein
- Eddie Lewis
- Lori Lindsey
- Kate Sobrero Markgraf
- Pablo Mastroeni
- Clint Mathis
- Tiffeny Milbrett
- Heather Mitts
- Jaime Moreno
- Ben Olsen
- Pat Onstad
- Steve Ralston
- Ante Razov
- Tony Sanneh
- Taylor Twellman
- Aly Wagner
- Josh Wolff
First year of eligibility
Final year of eligibility; moves to Veteran ballot in 2019
2018 National Soccer Hall of Fame Veteran Ballot
- Mike Burns
- Kevin Crow
- John Doyle
- Marco Etcheverry
- Linda Hamilton
- Shep Messing
- Cindy Parlow
- Tiffany Roberts
- Tisha Venturini-Hoch
2018 National Soccer Hall of Fame Builder Ballot
- Esse Baharmast
- Dr. Robert Contiguglia
- Joe Cummings
- Tim Leiweke
- Francisco Marcos
- Kevin Payne
- Steve Sampson
