Sporting Numerology Part 17: 71 to 99

The final edition of Sporting Numerology is here, looking at every player’s contribution wearing the different numbers for Sporting Kansas City. In this entry there are a lot of one player numbers, with only two of the numbers represented here having been worn by more than one person in the 25 year history of the club.

Prior editions:

0-1, 2-3, 4-5, 6-7, 8-9, 10-11, 12-13, 14-15, 16-17, 18-19, 20-21, 22-23, 24-25, 26-28, 29-35, 33-55

Number 71

Number of players to wear number: 1

Marcel de Jong 2015

One of the players brought in to challenge and potentially replace Seth Sinovic at the outside back position, de Jong came to KC with Bundesliga experience, but spent just over a year in KC. He played in 13 games for Sporting in the 2015 season, starting 11 of them. He scored one goal and added one assist, but only played in three league games for KC after July of that year. The club and de Jong agreed to mutually terminate his contract in early March of 2016.

Best player to wear number: As with many of the players in this entry, Marcel de Jong is the only player to wear the number.

Number 75

Number of players to wear number: 1

Wan Kuzain Wan Kamal 2018-

The Homegrown Player became the first HGP to go from the academy, to signing a pro contract with the Swope Park Rangers/Sporting KC II, to signing a contract with Sporting. Kuzain made six league appearances for KC in 2018, three of them starts, and scored on his second appearance for the club. He’s spent the majority of his time though with the club’s USL team. He’s not made a league appearance for the club since 2018.

Best player to wear number: Wan Kuzain has been a consistent USL player for SPR/SKCII but hasn’t been able to really work his way into regularly competing for a spot with the first team. He’s still the best player to wear the number for Sporting though.

Number 77

Number of players to wear number: 1

Tyler Pasher 2016-2017

One of the first players signed for the Swope Park Rangers, Pasher earned himself a call up to Sporting KC for the club’s CONCACAF Champions League game at home against the Vancouver Whitecaps, where Pasher played as the left back. His performance for the USL side earned Pasher an MLS contract for the 2017 season. Pasher made just one appearance for Sporting in league play in the 2017 season, starting a game in Vancouver before being subbed out at half time for Jimmy Medranda.

Best player to wear number: Tyler Pasher will likely be remembered more for his contribution to Swope Park than his contribution to the Sporting first team, but being he’s the only player to wear the number 77 for the first team, he goes down as the best player to wear the number.

Number 78

Number of players to wear number: 1

Aurelien Collin 2011-2014

Collin made himself a fan favorite over his four years with the club, becoming an anchor of the back line over the most successful stretch in club history. He played in 107 league games for KC, starting 103 of them, scoring 11 goals. Among center backs, only Jimmy Conrad and Ike Opara scored more goals over their career with KC than Collin. He made the MLS Best XI once in 2012, was MLS Cup MVP when KC won the cup in 2013 and was a three time MLS All Star during his time with the club.

Best player to wear the number: As the only player to wear the number, this is obviously Aurelien Collin, but when you look at the list of players in this Sporting Numerology entry, I think it’s also easy to say that Collin is the best player in club history of all the numbers mentioned.

Number 85

Number of players to wear number: 1

Felipe Hernandez 2017, 2019

Originally signed for KC’s 2017 US Open Cup game against the Houston Dynamo from the Swope Park Rangers, Hernandez didn’t get into that game for KC. He was signed to a first team contract in August of the 2019 season, becoming the first Homegrown Player to go from an Academy Affiliate, to the academy, to Swope Park, to the Sporting first team. He made two league appearances for KC in 2019, one of them a start.

Best player to wear number: Felipe Hernandez has moved on from the number 85 jersey, but as of right now he’s the best player to wear it.

Number 88

Number of players to wear number: 4

Milos Stojcev 2011

In his lone season in Kansas City, Stojcev played in 12 league games for Sporting, starting 11 of those games, and recorded two assists. Only one of those 12 appearances came after July 9th of that year. He did score one goal for the club in the US Open Cup in KC’s 3-0 win over the Chicago Fire Premier PDL team.

Michael Thomas 2012-2013

Thomas, a Kansas City native, appeared in seven league games for Kansas City in a little over a year with the club, three of those appearances were starts. All those appearances came in 2012, his only appearance in 2013 came in a US Open Cup game before being traded to Toronto FC in July.

Kevin Oliveira 2017

Signed to a first team contract from the Swope Park Rangers, Oliveira made just two league appearances in the closing stretch of the 2017 season, both as a substitute. He did make an appearance in the 2017 US Open Cup final that year against the New York Red Bulls. He was also used as a substitute in KC’s loss to the Houston Dynamo in the playoffs that year. In all he played 43 minutes in four appearances across all competitions.

Matt Lewis 2018

Signed before the 2018 season as a Homegrown Player after graduating from Fordham, Lewis never played a game for Sporting KC. He was waived and immediately signed with the club’s USL team in June of 2018.

Best player to wear number: While there are four players to choose from here, none of them did a whole lot while at the club. The one that likely contributed the most to Sporting and the best to wear the number is Milos Stojcev who had a decent start to his time in Kansas City but fell off fairly quickly in his one season, but he made more appearances and contributed to more goals than anyone else to wear the number.

Number 90

Number of players to wear number: 1

Kharlton Belmar 2017-2018

During a successful first year with the Swope Park Rangers in 2017, Belmar earned himself a call up to Sporting’s first team for a US Open Cup game against the Houston Dynamo. Later that same year, Belmar was signed full time to KC’s first team and made his league debut. He played the 2018 season for KC as well but was mostly with the Rangers for the season. Overall, in his two years with the club, Belmar made five league appearances, all as a substitute as well as two appearances in the US Open Cup. In the 2018 season he recorded a goal and an assist in the club’s US Open Cup win over Real Salt Lake.

Best player to wear the number: Back to the one player numbers, Kharlton Belmar’s time in league play was limited for KC, but he did have some success for the club in the USOC.

Number 92

Number of players to wear number: 1

Alex Molano 2016

Called up to the first team for a CONCACAF Champions League game in 2016, Molano started and played the full 90 minutes in KC’s 3-1 win over Central FC.

Best player to wear number: Alex Molano gets it as the only player to wear the number.

Number 93

Number of players to wear number: 1

Soni Mustivar 2015-2017

Over his three years with the club, Mustivar played in 64 league games for the club, starting 46 of those games. Of those 46 starts, 44 of them came in 2015 and 2016 before Ilie Sanchez’s arrival in 2017 pushed Mustivar out of his starting position. He recorded three league assists and scored a goal in KC’s 2015 US Open Cup run during his time with the club.

Best player to wear number: Soni Mustivar had a decent short career with KC relatively speaking, he played strong in the 6 position until Peter Vermes got a midfielder that could play the passing style that he wanted from the 6.

Number 94

Number of players to wear number: 1

Jimmy Medranda 2013-2019

Brought in late in the 2013 season on loan, Medranda played in 96 league games for KC over his seven seasons in KC, starting 64 of those games. Spending time as a winger, wingback, and even a central midfielder, Medranda did a good job of playing anywhere he was needed. He added five goals and five assists in league play for Sporting during his time with the club.

Best player to wear number: Jimmy Medranda looked like a candidate to lock down the left back slot at one time, but could never fully make it his own, and then was limited in his last two seasons with KC due to an injury.

Number 96

Number of players to wear number: 2

Jordi Quintilla 2015-2016

Best known for scoring the winning penalty kick in the 2015 US Open Cup final, Quintilla played in 14 games for KC in league play over his two seasons with the club, nine of those being starts. He recorded on assist during the 2016 season before eventually being waived by the club before the summer.

Wilson Harris 2019

Signed to a short-term contract from the Swope Park Rangers under the league’s Extreme Hardship rule when they had fewer than 14 field players available for their game against the Vancouver Whitecaps. Harris was on the bench for the game but did not play in the game.

Best player to wear number: Wilson Harris could win this number in the future if he stays with the number and continues the run of form, he ended the 2019 USL season on. Right now, though the number goes to Jordi Quintilla if for no other reason than the US Open Cup final winning penalty kick.

Number 99

Number of players to wear number: 1

Omar Bravo 2011

Signed as Designated Player before the 2011 season, Bravo made 27 appearances for KC, 26 of them starts. He was joint leading scorer in league play with nine goals tied with Kei Kamara and Teal Bunbury. Bravo also added two assists for KC in league play. As KC got on a roll at the end of the 2011 season, Bravo’s playing time decreased and come the playoffs he made just one five minute appearance against the Houston Dynamo.

Best player to wear number: Omar Bravo is the choice here as the only player to wear the number 99, but overall, he had a successful season in that one year.