Midfielder Kevin Oliveira signed for Sporting KC in September 2017 from USL affiliate Swope Park Rangers. The 21-year-old joined the Swope Park Rangers ahead of their inaugural season in 2016. He has totaled six goals and nine assists as a primary playmaker for the USL side. In August 2016, Oliveira was selected at No. 2 of the United Soccer League’s 20-Under-20 list, highlighting the league’s best young talent.
2017: MLS regular season: Made two substitute appearances (16 minutes played). Earned his MLS debut as a 79th-minute substitute in a 3-1 win over the New England Revolution on Sept. 16. Open Cup: Played eight minutes as a second-half substitute in a 2-1 Open Cup Final victory over the New York Red Bulls on Sept. 20. MLS Cup Playoffs: Played 19 minutes as an extra-time substitute in a 1-0 loss at the Houston Dynamo in the Western Conference Knockout Round on Oct. 26.
2016: Made 13 appearances, including 12 starts, in the regular season before having his season cut short with an ACL injury in late June. Posted three goals and four assists – which led the league at the time of his injury. Oliveira scored the first goal in club history from the penalty spot in the season opener against Portland Timbers 2 and added his first assist on April 2 against Tulsa Roughnecks FC. He opened the scoring against Sacramento Republic FC on May 28 before producing a one goal and three-assist performance vs. Rio Grande Valley FC on June 8 – his 20th birthday. That performance saw him named USL Player of the Week for Week 12, having also earned USL Team of the Week honors for Week 1. Heading into the June 26 game at Seattle Sounders FC 2, Oliveira suffered a torn ACL in his left knee and was ruled out for the remainder of the season. He was named second in the USL 20-Under-20 list in early August.
Before USL: Oliveira was most recently on loan at Portuguese Segunda Liga side SC Covilha from Benfica, making nine appearances in all competitions in the 2015-16 season. Oliveira scored on his league debut for Covilha in a 2-2 draw with CD Santa Clara. He joined Benfica’s Academy in 2010 and rose through the ranks to the Under-19 level in the 2014-15 season. That year, Oliveira made 28 appearances for the U-19s, scoring five goals. He also made three appearances with Benfica in the 2014-15 UEFA Youth League helping the side reach the quarterfinals, beating Liverpool in the Round of 16 before falling on penalties to Shakhtar Donetsk. In 2014, Oliveira scored twice as Benfica U-19s finished as runners-up in the Durban U-19s International Football Tournament, falling in the final to Brazilian side Santos. He was also named MVP of several international tournaments, including the Al Ain International Football Youth Championship (United Arab Emirates, 2013) and the Verbania Tournament (Italy, 2013).
International (1 cap): Oliveira spent time in camp with the Cape Verde National Team in March 2015, scoring a goal in a scrimmage against Portuguese club team Belenenses, two days before Cape Verde beat Portugal 2-0 in a friendly. In 2012, Oliveira was part of the Cape Verde Under-16 National Team that played in the Community of Portuguese Language Countries (CPLP) Sports Games, and he scored twice in a 5-0 win over Brazil. 2017: Made his senior debut for the Cape Verde Men's National Team on Oct. 7, appearing as a second-half substitute in a 2-0 World Cup qualifying loss to Senegal.
