Matt Besler: Difference between revisions
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In July 2016, he was included in the roster for the [[2016 MLS All-Star Game]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/villa-pirlo-and-kaka-headline-mls-all-star-squad-face-arsenal|title=Villa, Pirlo and Kaka headline MLS All-Star squad to face Arsenal|publisher=FourFourTwo|date=17 July 2016|accessdate=18 July 2016}}</ref> |
In July 2016, he was included in the roster for the [[2016 MLS All-Star Game]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.fourfourtwo.com/news/villa-pirlo-and-kaka-headline-mls-all-star-squad-face-arsenal|title=Villa, Pirlo and Kaka headline MLS All-Star squad to face Arsenal|publisher=FourFourTwo|date=17 July 2016|accessdate=18 July 2016}}</ref> |
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Throughout the 2018 season, Besler became the all-time leader in each of the club's longevity categories, overtaking club legends such as [[Davy Arnaud]] and [[Kerry Zavagnin]] for games played, games started and minutes played both in [[MLS]] play and in all competitions. |
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==International career== |
==International career== |
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After being left off of the initial roster for the [[2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup]] so that the team could evaluate other players, Besler was added to strengthen the squad after the United States qualified for the knockout round.<ref name="Gold Cup: Omar Gonzalez, Alan Gordon, Matt Besler, Eddie Johnson added to USMNT roster">{{cite web|title=Gold Cup: Omar Gonzalez, Alan Gordon, Matt Besler, Eddie Johnson added to USMNT roster|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/goldcup/news/article/2013/07/17/gold-cup-omar-gonzalez-alan-gordon-matt-besler-eddie-johnson-added-usmnt-ros|publisher=Major League Soccer|accessdate=July 19, 2013}}</ref> |
After being left off of the initial roster for the [[2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup]] so that the team could evaluate other players, Besler was added to strengthen the squad after the United States qualified for the knockout round.<ref name="Gold Cup: Omar Gonzalez, Alan Gordon, Matt Besler, Eddie Johnson added to USMNT roster">{{cite web|title=Gold Cup: Omar Gonzalez, Alan Gordon, Matt Besler, Eddie Johnson added to USMNT roster|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/goldcup/news/article/2013/07/17/gold-cup-omar-gonzalez-alan-gordon-matt-besler-eddie-johnson-added-usmnt-ros|publisher=Major League Soccer|accessdate=July 19, 2013}}</ref> |
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Besler was selected for U.S. |
Besler was selected for [[U.S. national team|U.S. National Team]] 23-man roster for the [[2014 FIFA World Cup]]. He started all three games of the group stage and their Round of 16 game, helping the U.S. make it through the group stage for consecutive World Cups. Following his strong performance in the World Cup, several European outfits placed offers and expressed interest in signing Besler, including [[SC Freiburg|Freiburg]], [[Fulham F.C.|Fulham]] and [[Sunderland A.F.C.|Sunderland]]. Besler reportedly declined the offers and decided to stay in Kansas City. |
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Besler was a part of the [[U.S. national team|U.S. National Team]] squad that won the [[2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup]]. Besler made four appearances in the tournament, including a start in the final as the U.S. beat Jamaica 2-1 on a late goal from [[Jordan Morris]] as Besler lifted his second international title. |
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===International goals=== |
===International goals=== |
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Besler is [[Catholic]]. He was raised in a religious family; his father was Catholic and his mother converted from [[Methodism]]. Besler regularly attends church and is known to pray the rosary before each game. His favorite religious figures are [[Saint Christopher]] and [[Beatification|Blessed]] [[Pier Giorgio Frassati]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/defender-of-the-faith |title=Major League Soccer Player Keeps His Trust in God |publisher=National Catholic Register |date=November 19, 2011 |accessdate=June 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://catholicism.org/pro-soccer-star-prays-rosary-before-every-game.html |title=Pro Soccer Star Prays Rosary Before Every Game |publisher=catholicism.org |date=November 21, 2011 |accessdate=June 23, 2014 |author=Brian Kelly}}</ref> |
Besler is [[Catholic]]. He was raised in a religious family; his father was Catholic and his mother converted from [[Methodism]]. Besler regularly attends church and is known to pray the rosary before each game. His favorite religious figures are [[Saint Christopher]] and [[Beatification|Blessed]] [[Pier Giorgio Frassati]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ncregister.com/daily-news/defender-of-the-faith |title=Major League Soccer Player Keeps His Trust in God |publisher=National Catholic Register |date=November 19, 2011 |accessdate=June 23, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://catholicism.org/pro-soccer-star-prays-rosary-before-every-game.html |title=Pro Soccer Star Prays Rosary Before Every Game |publisher=catholicism.org |date=November 21, 2011 |accessdate=June 23, 2014 |author=Brian Kelly}}</ref> |
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On September 2, 2016 Besler's wife welcomed their first born, a daughter, while he was in St. Vincent for a USMNT game. |
On September 2, 2016 Besler's wife welcomed their first born, a daughter, while he was in St. Vincent for a USMNT game. Just under two years later, Besler welcomed his second daughter to the family in early August 2018. |
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==Career statistics== |
==Career statistics== |
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{{updated| |
{{updated|31 August 2018}} |
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!colspan="2"|Career total |
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Revision as of 18:06, 31 August 2018
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Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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Full name | Matthew Scott Besler[1] | ||||||||||||||||
Date of birth | February 11, 1987 | ||||||||||||||||
Place of birth | Overland Park, Kansas, United States | ||||||||||||||||
Height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) | ||||||||||||||||
Position(s) | Defender | ||||||||||||||||
Team information | |||||||||||||||||
Current team | Sporting Kansas City | ||||||||||||||||
Number | 5 | ||||||||||||||||
Youth career | |||||||||||||||||
2001–2005 | KCFC Alliance | ||||||||||||||||
College career | |||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
2005–2008 | Notre Dame Fighting Irish | 90 | (5) | ||||||||||||||
Senior career* | |||||||||||||||||
Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) | ||||||||||||||
2009– | Sporting Kansas City | 240 | (3) | ||||||||||||||
International career‡ | |||||||||||||||||
2006 | United States U20 | 1 | (0) | ||||||||||||||
2013– | United States | 47 | (1) | ||||||||||||||
Medal record
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*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of March 24, 2018 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of October 10, 2017 |
Matthew Scott "Matt" Besler (/ˈbiːzlər/; born February 11, 1987) is an American soccer player who currently plays for Sporting Kansas City in Major League Soccer. A left-sided central defender with the ability to play leftback, he has spent his entire career with Sporting Kansas City, currently serving as captain. He has also been a regular with the United States national team, including at the 2014 FIFA World Cup.
Club career
College and youth
Besler was a four-year All-Conference player at Blue Valley West High School in Overland Park, Kansas. He led Blue Valley West to the Kansas 5A State Championship as a senior, scoring 23 goals with 19 assists, and holds the season and career marks in total points (124), goals (40) and assists (44) at Blue Valley West. He was also a member of the KCFC Alliance club team and a key member of the Region II Olympic Developmental Program (ODP) which competed in the 2004 ESP All-Star game.
Besler played college soccer at the University of Notre Dame, playing in 90 games (73 starts) and scoring 5 goals during his college career. He received All-American and Academic All-American honors as a senior, was named the NSCAA 2008 Senior College Men's Scholar All-America Player of the Year, and was named to the All Big East Team three times. He helped Notre Dame gain four straight berths in the NCAA championship, including the program's first two trips to the quarterfinals in 2006 and 2007.
Professional
Besler was drafted in the first round (8th overall) in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft by the Kansas City Wizards. He made his professional debut on March 28, 2009, as an 87th-minute substitute during a 2–1 loss at the Colorado Rapids.[2] He scored his first professional goal on March 26, 2011, in a 3–2 loss to the Chicago Fire.[3] On July 10, 2011, Besler was added to the 2011 MLS All-Star team via the fan text message vote.[4] In 2012, Besler anchored the top defense in MLS with Sporting Kansas City and went on to help the club win the U.S. Open Cup by converting his attempt after the game against the Seattle Sounders went into penalty kicks. He also was named 2012 MLS Defender of the Year and named to MLS Best XI.[5]
On December 12, 2012, Besler re-signed with Sporting Kansas City on a three-year deal, passing up trial offers from Queens Park Rangers, Southampton and Birmingham City.[6][7]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/Bradley_vs_Besler_MLS_AllStar_2013.jpg/220px-Bradley_vs_Besler_MLS_AllStar_2013.jpg)
Besler was voted into the 2013 All-Star Fan XI.[8]
In July 2016, he was included in the roster for the 2016 MLS All-Star Game.[9]
Throughout the 2018 season, Besler became the all-time leader in each of the club's longevity categories, overtaking club legends such as Davy Arnaud and Kerry Zavagnin for games played, games started and minutes played both in MLS play and in all competitions.
International career
Besler has become the regular starting left-center back for the United States under head coach Jürgen Klinsmann. He has been rated the top performer[10] during the 2014 CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying matches.
Besler made his debut for United States on January 29, 2013 in a friendly match against Canada. Previously, on August 23, 2012, Besler was called up to the United States squad by head coach Jürgen Klinsmann for a friendly against Mexico, but he didn't feature in the match.
On March 26, 2013, Besler made his first World Cup qualifying appearance in a 0–0 draw at Mexico. On June 2, Besler started as the United States defeated Germany[11] 4-3 in an International Friendly played at RFK Stadium. Subsequently, Besler started in the World Cup Qualifying wins against Jamaica, Panama, and Honduras.
After being left off of the initial roster for the 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup so that the team could evaluate other players, Besler was added to strengthen the squad after the United States qualified for the knockout round.[12]
Besler was selected for U.S. National Team 23-man roster for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. He started all three games of the group stage and their Round of 16 game, helping the U.S. make it through the group stage for consecutive World Cups. Following his strong performance in the World Cup, several European outfits placed offers and expressed interest in signing Besler, including Freiburg, Fulham and Sunderland. Besler reportedly declined the offers and decided to stay in Kansas City.
He scored his first National team goal on September 2, 2016 with an assist from Sporting Kansas City teammate Graham Zusi. This was also the same day his first child was born.
Besler was a part of the U.S. National Team squad that won the 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Besler made four appearances in the tournament, including a start in the final as the U.S. beat Jamaica 2-1 on a late goal from Jordan Morris as Besler lifted his second international title.
International goals
- Scores and results list United States' goal tally first.[13]
No | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | September 2, 2016 | Arnos Vale Stadium, Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines | ![]() |
2–0 | 6–0 | 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification |
Personal
Besler is known throughout his hometown of Kansas City for his willingness to give back to the community. On March 1, 2012, he joined forces with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) during the months of March, April and May for the Man of the Year campaign, raising funds for blood cancer research.[14] In April 2012, Besler was named W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the month by Major League Soccer.[15]
He is a fan of his hometown Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. On July 5, 2013, he threw out the first pitch before the Kansas City Royals vs. Oakland Athletics baseball game.[16]
His younger brother, Nick, was drafted by the Portland Timbers 5th overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft. He is currently represented by US & Asia-based agency, Libero Sports LLC.[17]
Besler is Catholic. He was raised in a religious family; his father was Catholic and his mother converted from Methodism. Besler regularly attends church and is known to pray the rosary before each game. His favorite religious figures are Saint Christopher and Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati.[18][19]
On September 2, 2016 Besler's wife welcomed their first born, a daughter, while he was in St. Vincent for a USMNT game. Just under two years later, Besler welcomed his second daughter to the family in early August 2018.
Career statistics
- As of 31 August 2018
Club | Season | League | Playoffs | US Open Cup | CONCACAF | Total | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
Sporting Kansas City | 2009 | 28 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 32 | 0 |
2010 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | 0 | |
2011 | 32 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 39 | 2 | |
2012 | 31 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 0 | |
2013 | 23 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
2014 | 24 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
2015 | 32 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 0 | |
2016 | 18 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 1 | |
2017 | 26 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 | 0 | |
2018 | 22 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 0 | |
Career total | 248 | 3 | 14 | 0 | 20 | 0 | 10 | 0 | 292 | 3 |
Honors
United States
Sporting Kansas City
Individual
- MLS Defender of the Year: 2012[20]
- MLS Breakout Player of the Year: 2012[21]
- MLS Best XI: 2012[22]
- MLS All-Star: 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015
- Sporting Kansas City Defensive Player of the Year: 2011
References
- ^ "2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil: List of Players" (PDF). FIFA. June 12, 2014. p. 32. Retrieved June 12, 2014.
- ^ http://kc.wizards.mlsnet.com/scoreboard/game.jsp?match=03282009_KCCOL[permanent dead link]
- ^ Fire outlast Kansas City after Bravo sees red Archived April 30, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Kurt Austin (July 10, 2011). "Matt Besler voted 2011 MLS All-Star | Sporting Kansas City". Sportingkc.com. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "Matt Besler - 2012 Defender of the Year". MLSsoccer.com. November 19, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "QPR and Southampton set to battle for American star defender Matt Besler | The Sun |Sport|Football". The Sun. December 5, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "Sporting Kansas City hero Matt Besler's breakout blur, and why he's staying in MLS". MLSsoccer.com. December 4, 2013. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "All-Star: Tim Cahill, Robbie Keane, DeAndre Yedlin added to gameday roster; Landon Donovan left off". Major League Soccer. Retrieved July 15, 2013.
- ^ "Villa, Pirlo and Kaka headline MLS All-Star squad to face Arsenal". FourFourTwo. July 17, 2016. Retrieved July 18, 2016.
- ^ "Besler leads player ratings through Day 5 06/17/2013". SoccerAmerica. June 17, 2013. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "USMNT 4, Germany 3 | International Friendly Match Recap". Archived from the original on July 10, 2013. Retrieved July 9, 2013.
{{cite web}}
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ignored (|url-status=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Gold Cup: Omar Gonzalez, Alan Gordon, Matt Besler, Eddie Johnson added to USMNT roster". Major League Soccer. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ "Besler, Matt". National Football Teams. Retrieved February 4, 2017.
- ^ "Matt Besler up for Man of the Year | Sporting Kansas City". Sportingkc.com. March 2, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ Steve Brisendine (April 9, 2012). "Sporting's Besler named W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian for April". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "Besler & Zusi Throw First Pitch at Royals Game". YouTube. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "Libero Sports". Libero Sports. Libero Sports.
- ^ "Major League Soccer Player Keeps His Trust in God". National Catholic Register. November 19, 2011. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- ^ Brian Kelly (November 21, 2011). "Pro Soccer Star Prays Rosary Before Every Game". catholicism.org. Retrieved June 23, 2014.
- ^ Wiebe, Andrew. "Sporting KC's Besler named 2012 Defender of the Year". MLS Soccer. Retrieved November 20, 2012.
- ^ "Matt Besler named MLS Breakout Player of the Year | Sporting Kansas City". Sportingkc.com. December 21, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
- ^ "MLS reveals 2012 Best XI, headlined by Sporting KC quartet". MLSsoccer.com. November 26, 2012. Retrieved June 7, 2014.
External links
- Matt Besler at Major League Soccer
- Matt Besler at National-Football-Teams.com
- Matt Besler – FIFA competition record (archived)
- 1987 births
- Living people
- American soccer players
- Notre Dame Fighting Irish men's soccer players
- Sporting Kansas City players
- American Roman Catholics
- People from Overland Park, Kansas
- Soccer players from Kansas
- Major League Soccer players
- Major League Soccer All-Stars
- Designated Players (MLS)
- United States men's under-20 international soccer players
- United States men's international soccer players
- Sporting Kansas City draft picks
- 2013 CONCACAF Gold Cup players
- 2014 FIFA World Cup players
- Copa América Centenario players
- 2017 CONCACAF Gold Cup players
- CONCACAF Gold Cup-winning players
- Association football defenders
- Sportspeople from the Kansas City metropolitan area
- All-American men's college soccer players