Sporting Kansas City announced Wednesday that defender Matt Besler has signed a new contract with the club. Per team policy, terms of the agreement will not be disclosed.
“Kansas City is my home. This organization is fantastic, I love all my teammates and the fans are the best around,” Besler said. “My goal to help bring championships to Kansas City has never wavered and I am ecstatic to re-sign with the club. I promise to continue to work hard and serve this team and community through my actions on and off the field.”
Besler, 25, was named the 2012 MLS Defender of the Year after anchoring a Sporting Kansas City defense that allowed 27 goals in 34 MLS matches to lead all MLS teams with the fewest goals conceded. The Overland Park, Kan. native was also named the team's Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight season and was the highest-ranked defender in this year's MLS Castrol Index at No. 25 overall. His accomplishments were recognized when he was selected to train with the U.S. Men's National Team in August.
“Matt (Besler) not only developed into a very important piece of our team, but also into a strong leadership role within the group,” Vermes said. “Obviously this was a very high priority to get done and we are very, very pleased we were able to retain him as he is a key piece to our puzzle and a great asset for the successes of our team.”
Besler was selected 10th overall in the first round of the 2009 MLS SuperDraft out of the University of Notre Dame and made 28 appearances in his rookie season. Besler was named an MLS All-Star in 2011 in the midst of a season in which he featured in 35 matches (including playoffs), logging the full 90 minutes in each one.
Besler is also active in the Kansas City community and has found ways to make a difference in charitable causes in his hometown. In 2012, he raised nearly $10,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in his Man of the Year Campaign in a 10-week fundraising competition. Most recently, Besler was named a spokesperson for the Child Protection Center of the Child Advocacy Center that has served more than 10,000 children and families in the Kansas City area.
Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) re-signs defender Matt Besler.
