Forward Ozzie Cisneros, who has competed for the Sporting KC Academy at the U-13 through U-19 levels, became the fourth-youngest signing in club history when he inked an MLS contract at age 16 in early 2021. He scored his first professional goal for Sporting KC II against Louisville City FC on July 28, 2021 before making his debut for Sporting KC in a Leagues Cup match against Club Leon on Aug. 10, 2021.
A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Cisneros joined the Sporting KC Academy as a 12-year-old in 2016. That summer, he led Sporting to a fourth-place finish at the Concacaf U-13 Champions League in Mexico City. Cisneros went on to play almost 70 matches for Sporting in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, scoring 15 goals and climbing to the U-19 ranks by the time he was 15. He helped the U-17s reach the 2019 Development Academy Playoffs and split time between the U-17s and U-19s during the first half of the 2019-20 campaign. Cisneros and the SKC Academy returned to action in September 2020 in MLS Next play, with Cisneros striking twice during the abbreviated fall season - once for the U-17s and once for the U-19s.
PROFESSIONAL
2023: Did not make an appearance for the Sporting KC first team. MLS NEXT Pro: Started 18 of 26 appearances for Sporting KC II, tallying three goals and two assists. Scored his first goal of the season with the game-winner in a 2-1 win at LAFC 2 on April 9 and tallied again at St. Louis 2 on May 21. Added his third goal of the campaign against Tacoma Defiance on June 15. Recorded assists in blowout victories over Vancouver 2 (July 2) and Portland 2 (Aug. 13).
2022: MLS Regular Season: Did not feature. Open Cup: Started one match (18 minutes played). Started Sporting's Round of 32 match against FC Dallas before having to come off after sustaining an injury.
2021: USL Championship: Started 15 of 20 appearances and scored three goals. Netted his first professional goal against Louisville City FC on July 28. MLS Regular Season: Did not feature. Leagues Cup: Debuted for Sporting KC in a Leagues Cup match against Leon on Aug. 10.
Sporting KC Academy
Joined the Sporting KC Academy as a 12-year-old in 2016. That summer, he led Sporting to a fourth-place finish at the Concacaf U-13 Champions League in Mexico City. Cisneros went on to play almost 70 matches for Sporting in the U.S. Soccer Development Academy, scoring 15 goals and climbing to the U-19 ranks by the time he was 15. He helped the U-17s reach the 2019 Development Academy Playoffs and split time between the U-17s and U-19s during the first half of the 2019-20 campaign. Following a six-month pause due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Cisneros and the Sporting KC Academy returned to competitive action in September 2020 in MLS Next, a newly launched youth platform featuring elite academy clubs from across the country. Cisneros struck twice during the abbreviated fall season—once for the U-17s and once for the U-19s. He was also featured extensively in “The Academy,” a five-part documentary series from Audi and Bleacher Report that highlighted youth development within the Sporting KC Academy system.
INTERNATIONAL
One of the brightest American prospects in his age group, Cisneros represented the U.S. U-15 Boys’ National Team throughout 2018 and 2019. He notably starred at the 2019 Concacaf U-15 Championship in Bradenton, scoring both goals in a 2-0 quarterfinal win over Costa Rica, and also found the back of the net at the 2019 Torneo Delle Nazioni in Italy. In April 2022, Cisneros
