Sporting Kansas City

Matt Besler

Defender#5

Bio

Born in Overland Park in 1987, Matt Besler debuted for Sporting Kansas City in 2009 and has also played for Austin FC and Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's soccer. He plays as a defender. His honours include MLS Defender of the Year Award. He has represented the United States men's national under-20 association football team and the United States men's national soccer team.

Key facts

Age: 39
Height: 1.83 m
Weight: 78 kg
Number: #5
Born: 11/2/1987
Birthplace: Overland Park
Debut: 2009
Position: Defender
Nationality: USA

Official profile

ESPN player page ↗Wikipedia ↗Wikidata ↗

Career

2009–now

2009–2020Sporting Kansas City
2021–Austin FC
Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's soccer
2006United States men's national under-20 association football teamNational team
2013–2017United States men's national soccer teamNational team

Career stats

offensive

Swipe for more

	STRT	FC	FA	YC	RC	G	A	SHOT	SOG	OFF
Knockout - Eastern Conf SKC	4	6	6	1	0	0	0	2	0	0
Regular Season SKC	26	22	14	2	0	0	4	4	1	2
Knockout - Eastern Conf SKC	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
Regular Season 2016 SKC	17	14	7	4	0	1	1	3	1	0
Knockout - Eastern Conf SKC	1	0	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1
2015 MLS SKC	33	28	14	4	1	0	3	0	0	0
2014 Major League Soccer SKC	25	39	13	3	1	0	1	4	0	0
2013 Major League Soccer SKC	28	25	18	2	0	0	2	7	0	1
2012 Major League Soccer SKC	32	28	15	3	0	0	2	8	1	1
2011 Major League Soccer SKC	35	22	15	3	0	2	3	10	4

Compare BeslerStack them up against anyone, with an analyst verdict

Every game we hold

Includes finals, playoffs and exhibition games, so totals run higher than regular-season figures.

Season
2021 MLSAustin FC	20	0	0	2	0	1,753	2	0	0	20	0	11	6	0	26
2020 MLSSporting Kansas City	10	0	0	1	0	810	1	0	0	10	1	10	9	0	17
2019 MLSSporting Kansas City	27	0	0	2	0	2,115	2	1	0	27	2	13	10	0	46
2018 MLSSporting Kansas City	35	0	2	3	0	3,105	3	0	0	35	0	24	17	0	37
2017 MLSSporting Kansas City	27	0	4	4	1	2,460	2	0	3	27	0	22	14	1	21
2016 MLSSporting Kansas City	19	1	0	3	1	1,636	4	0	1	19	1	14	8	0	22
2015 MLSMLS All-Stars / Sporting Kansas City	34	0	3	0	0	2,995	4	1	0	34	0	28	14	0	44
2014 MLSMLS All-Stars / Sporting Kansas City	26	0	1	4	0	2,280	3	1	0	26	0	39	13	0	34
2014 FIFA World CupUnited States	4	0	0	0	0	346	0	0	0	4	0	1	5	0	5
2013 MLSMLS All-Stars / Sporting Kansas City	29	0	0	7	0	2,626	2	0	3	29	0	23	18	0	30
2012 MLSSporting Kansas City	33	0	1	10	1	2,949	3	0	1	33	1	27	15	0	23
2011 MLSMLS All-Stars / Sporting Kansas City	36	2	3	10	4	3,165	3	0	1	36	1	22	15	0	0
2010 MLSSporting Kansas City	13	0	0	4	3	1,108	2	0	1	12	2	14	4	0	0
Career13 seasons	313	3	14	50	10	27,348	31	3	10	312	8	248	148	1	305

Game log, 2021 MLS

Game
5 Sept @ Vancouver WhitecapsL 1-2 5 Sept	0	71	0	1	0	0	1
30 Aug v FC DallasL 3-5 30 Aug	0	90	0	1	0	0	5
22 Aug v Portland TimbersW 3-1 22 Aug	1	90	0	1	0	0	1
19 Aug v Vancouver WhitecapsL 1-2 19 Aug	0	90	1	1	1	1	2
15 Aug @ Real Salt LakeL 0-1 15 Aug	0	90	0	1	0	1	1
8 Aug @ FC DallasL 0-2 8 Aug	0	62	0	1	0	0	1
5 Aug v Houston Dynamo FCW 3-2 5 Aug	0	90	0	1	3	1	2
1 Aug v Colorado RapidsL 0-1 1 Aug	0	90	0	1	0	0	1
23 July v Seattle Sounders FCL 0-1 23 July	1	90	0	1	0	0	1
8 July v LAFCL 0-2 8 July	0	90	0	1	0	0	2
2 July v Portland TimbersW 4-1 2 July	0	90	0	1	0	0	1
28 June v Columbus CrewD 0-0 28 June	0	90	0	1	2	2	0
20 June v San Jose EarthquakesD 0-0 20 June	0	90	0	1	1	0	0
13 June @ Sporting Kansas CityD 1-1 13 June	0	90	1	1	2	0	1
31 May @ Seattle Sounders FCD 0-0 31 May	0	90	0	1	0	0	0
24 May @ Nashville SCL 0-1 24 May	0	90	0	1	1	0	1
16 May @ LA GalaxyL 0-2 16 May	0	90	0	1	0	0	2
10 May @ Sporting Kansas CityL 1-2 10 May	0	90	0	1	0	0	2
2 May @ Minnesota United FCW 1-0 2 May	0	90	0	1	1	0	0
18 Apr @ LAFCL 0-2 18 Apr	0	90	0	1	0	1	2

Recent games

Nov '209
@ Real Salt Lake
Did not record a stat
W 2-0
Oct '2029
@ FC Cincinnati
Did not record a stat
W 1-0
Oct '2025
v Colorado Rapids
Did not record a stat
W 4-0
Oct '2018
@ Chicago Fire FC
Did not record a stat
D 2-2
Oct '2015
@ FC Dallas
Did not record a stat
L 1-0
Sept '2024
v Orlando City SC
1 SHOT · 1 FC · 1 YC
L 2-1
Sept '2020
v FC Dallas
3 FA
L 3-2
Sept '2014
v Minnesota United FC
1 FC · 2 FA
W 1-0

Honours

MLS Defender of the Year Award2012

Stats from official league and public sports feeds. Updated hourly. Career and honours from Wikidata (CC0).

Splits, MLS

Split
HomeHome or away, 90W	164	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	86.5	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.7	0.4	0.0	0.9
AwayHome or away, 45W	145	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.0	88.4	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.9	0.5	0.0	1.0
WinsResult, 135W	135	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.0	88.7	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.8	0.5	0.0	0.5
LossesResult, 0W	104	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	85.7	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.8	0.4	0.0	1.8
DrawsResult, 0W	70	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	87.2	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.8	0.5	0.0	0.6
Regular seasonStage, 135W	309	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	87.4	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.8	0.5	0.0	1.0
Houston Dynamo FCOpponent, 7W	26	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	91.2	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.9	0.6	0.0	1.2
FC DallasOpponent, 6W	20	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	86.3	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.9	0.1	0.5	0.5	0.0	1.4
Colorado RapidsOpponent, 9W	19	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	86.3	0.0	0.1	0.1	1.0	0.0	1.2	0.5	0.0	0.9
Real Salt LakeOpponent, 5W	19	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	91.3	0.2	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.7	0.5	0.0	1.0
Vancouver WhitecapsOpponent, 10W	18	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.0	88.9	0.2	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.6	0.6	0.0	0.9
Portland TimbersOpponent, 7W	17	0.0	0.1	0.2	0.0	84.1	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.1	0.5	0.9	0.0	0.7
Seattle Sounders FCOpponent, 5W	17	0.0	0.1	0.2	0.1	87.5	0.0	0.0	0.1	1.0	0.1	0.5	0.2	0.0	0.8
Columbus CrewOpponent, 8W	16	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.1	84.8	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.1	1.1	0.8	0.0	0.7
LA GalaxyOpponent, 6W	16	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.0	87.2	0.0	0.0	0.1	1.0	0.1	0.8	0.3	0.0	1.4
San Jose EarthquakesOpponent, 8W	16	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.1	82.5	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.5	0.2	0.0	1.0
Chicago Fire FCOpponent, 8W	15	0.1	0.0	0.3	0.1	88.6	0.2	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.1	1.2	0.8	0.1	0.7
New England RevolutionOpponent, 6W	15	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	92.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.1	0.6	0.0	1.0
D.C. UnitedOpponent, 8W	13	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.1	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	1.0	0.0	0.8	0.4	0.0	0.5
Red Bull New YorkOpponent, 4W	12	0.0	0.2	0.2	0.0	88.3	0.0	0.1	0.1	1.0	0.0	0.8	0.3	0.0	1.1
Toronto FCOpponent, 8W	12	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	88.8	0.1	0.1	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.1	0.3	0.0	0.7
Philadelphia UnionOpponent, 6W	11	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.0	87.2	0.1	0.0	0.1	1.0	0.1	0.6	0.3	0.0	1.0
CF MontréalOpponent, 7W	10	0.0	0.1	0.3	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	1.0	0.0	1.2	0.2	0.0	0.8
Minnesota United FCOpponent, 6W	9	0.0	0.1	0.2	0.1	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.0	0.4	0.0	0.7
LAFCOpponent, 2W	6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.2	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.5	0.8	0.0	2.0
Orlando City SCOpponent, 2W	6	0.0	0.2	0.2	0.0	82.5	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.7	0.2	0.0	1.5
Chivas USAOpponent, 3W	4	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.3	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.0	0.3	0.0	0.0
New York City FCOpponent, 1W	3	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.7
Atlanta United FCOpponent, 1W	2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.5	0.0	0.5	1.0	0.0	1.5	0.5	0.0	0.5
Sporting Kansas CityOpponent, 0W	2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	1.5
AS RomaOpponent, 0W	1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	46.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	2.0
Bayern MünchenOpponent, 1W	1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	45.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0
Manchester UnitedOpponent, 0W	1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	15.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0
Nashville SCOpponent, 0W	1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	1.0
Tottenham HotspurOpponent, 1W	1	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	45.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0
Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, KansasGround, 80W	144	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	87.3	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.7	0.5	0.0	0.9
Providence Park, Portland, OregonGround, 4W	10	0.0	0.1	0.1	0.0	84.0	0.2	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.6	1.1	0.0	0.5
Q2 Stadium, Austin, TexasGround, 3W	10	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	90.0	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.7	0.4	0.0	1.5
America First Field, Sandy, UtahGround, 0W	9	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.3	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.0	0.6	0.0	1.1
BC Place, VancouverGround, 5W	9	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.0	87.9	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.6	0.7	0.0	1.0
Dick's Sporting Goods Park, Commerce City, ColoradoGround, 3W	9	0.0	0.0	0.3	0.0	85.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.0	0.3	0.0	1.2
Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, TexasGround, 1W	9	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	93.3	0.1	0.0	0.1	1.0	0.0	1.2	0.3	0.0	1.6
Dignity Health Sports Park, Carson, CaliforniaGround, 4W	8	0.0	0.1	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.1	0.0	0.0	1.8
Historic Crew Stadium, Columbus, OhioGround, 4W	8	0.0	0.3	0.1	0.0	86.4	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.6	1.0	0.0	0.8
Lumen Field, Seattle, WashingtonGround, 2W	8	0.0	0.0	0.1	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.1	1.0	0.0	0.5	0.4	0.0	1.0
Community America BallparkGround, 4W	7	0.0	0.0	0.4	0.4	85.6	0.0	0.0	0.1	1.0	0.1	1.1	0.4	0.0	0.0
SeatGeek Stadium, Bridgeview, IllinoisGround, 3W	7	0.1	0.0	0.1	0.1	89.7	0.1	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.4	0.6	0.0	1.1
BMO Field, TorontoGround, 3W	6	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	87.5	0.0	0.2	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.7	0.3	0.0	0.7
Toyota StadiumGround, 1W	6	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	85.3	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.5	0.8	0.0	2.0
Gillette Stadium, Foxborough, MassachusettsGround, 1W	5	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	90.0	0.2	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.6	0.6	0.0	1.6
PayPal Park, San Jose, CaliforniaGround, 1W	5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	66.0	0.4	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.8	0.2	0.0	1.0
RFK Stadium, Washington, District of ColumbiaGround, 1W	5	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.6	0.4	0.0	0.4
Sports Illustrated Stadium, Harrison, New JerseyGround, 2W	5	0.0	0.2	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	1.0	0.0	0.8	0.2	0.0	0.8
Stade Saputo, MontrealGround, 3W	5	0.0	0.2	0.2	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	1.8	0.2	0.0	0.8
Subaru Park, Chester, PennsylvaniaGround, 2W	5	0.0	0.0	0.2	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.2	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.4	0.0	1.2
BMO Stadium, Los Angeles, CaliforniaGround, 1W	3	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.3	0.7	0.0	1.3
Buck Shaw Stadium, CaliforniaGround, 0W	2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.5
ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, Orlando, FloridaGround, 1W	2	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	2.0	0.5	0.0	2.0
Gillette Stadium, BostonGround, 0W	2	0.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	90.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	0.0
Inter&Co Stadium, Orlando, FloridaGround, 0W	2	0.0	0.5	0.0	0.0	90.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.5