Chris Klein
A St. Louis native, Klein was selected fourth overall by the then-Wizards in the 1998 MLS College Draft and began his professional career with eight seasons in Kansas City. He won all three major domestic trophies during his KC career, leading the club to the Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup double in 2000 with the game-winning assist in the team’s first MLS Cup championship before adding a U.S. Open Cup title in 2004.
Klein contributed 43 goals and 54 assists in 235 games played for KC across all competition from 1998-2005, placing him second on the club’s all-time chart with 97 combined goals and assists. He won MLS Comeback Player of the Year honors twice (2002, 2005) and was an MLS All-Star in four straight seasons from 2002-2005.
On the field, Klein was named the team’s Most Valuable Player in 2001 and twice led the team in assists (2001 and 2004), while also finishing the 2002 season as the team’s top scorer. Off the field, Klein was chosen Kansas City’s Humanitarian of the Year in 2002 and 2003 for his active involvement in charitable causes.
Klein continued his 13-year MLS playing career with Real Salt Lake (2006-2007) and the LA Galaxy (2007-2010), claiming a second Supporters’ Shield title in his final season. His run of 118 consecutive starts – spanning from June 2005 with Kansas City to April 2009 with the LA Galaxy – remains an all-time MLS record. Overall, Klein made 353 MLS career appearances (including postseason) with 52 goals and 73 assists.
In addition to his success at the club level, Klein scored five goals in 22 international appearances for the United States Men’s National Team from 2000-2006 and was a member of the U.S. MNT at the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. Since retiring in 2010, Klein has appeared on the National Soccer Hall of Fame Player Ballot in 2014 and 2015.
