Matt Besler retiring just after storied 13-time Main League Soccer career

Austin FC defender Matt Besler announced his retirement Wednesday after 13 MLS seasons, the initially 12 put in with Sporting Kansas City.

The 5-time MLS All-Star and two-time MLS Most effective XI honoree was named the league’s Defender of the Calendar year in 2012. He gained the 2013 MLS Cup and 3 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup titles (2012, 2015 and 2017) with SKC.

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Besler, 34, appeared in 314 career matches (305 starts) from 2009-21, registering 3 goals and 18 helps.

He built 20 starts for the duration of Austin’s inaugural MLS campaign in 2021, completing a group-large 90.2 % of his passes and ending 2nd on the squad with 40 interceptions.

“To the entire Austin group, thank you for welcoming my family and I to Austin,” he wrote in an open up letter to Austin supporters posted Wednesday on the team’s web-site. “We felt a aspect of this metropolis from the minute we arrived and designed recollections we will have with us endlessly.”

Austin completed its debut season with a 9-21-4 document, like a 7-8-2 mark at property.

“We are really grateful to Matt and his spouse and children for all the time and strength they have presented more than the earlier year to help develop Austin FC,” Austin sporting director Claudio Reyna reported in a news launch. “Matt has had as stellar profession and his contributions for club and country will not be overlooked. He’ll usually be a part of our group and we want him achievement in this subsequent chapter of his lifetime.”

Besler also designed 47 appearances for the U.S. nationwide group, including 4 starts at the 2014 FIFA Globe Cup in Brazil.