Jimmy Nielsen

The 2012 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and Best XI selection, Nielsen is a two-time MLS All-Star. Nicknamed the White Puma, Nielsen played in England for Millwall and Leicester City and in his native Denmark for AaB Aalborg and Vejle prior to signing with KC in February 2010. Named team captain in 2012, Nielsen has become the MLS all-time leader in goals against average with more than 100 MLS matches played for the club. His 90 consecutive complete MLS games rank him second all-time. His autobiography, Welcome to the Blue Heaven, was released in 2013.

2013: MLS: Started and played every minute of the regular season for the second consecutive year. Led MLS with 17 wins and a 0.88 GAA. His 546-minute shutout streak in MLS play is the longest of 2013 and fifth longest in MLS history. His shutout streak ranks second in Kansas City history behind Tony Meola's 681-minute streak during the 2000 season. Nielsen's 13 shutouts in 2013 were second-best in the League and fifth most for a goalkeeper all-time. Sporting KC's win over Real Salt Lake on July 20 put Nielsen at 50 wins and moved him to first place in All-Time wins by a goalkeeper (passed Tony Meola). CCL: Did not feature. Open Cup: Did not feature. 

2012: Nielsen played every minute in net for Sporting Kansas City in 2012 with a 0.79 goals against average at the conclusion of the regular season. Only one other goalkeeper in MLS history has played in 75% of their team’s games in a season and kept a goals against average below 0.80. Nielsen’s 0.79 goals against average is the best mark by a goalkeeper in club history, breaking Tony Meola’s mark of 0.92 in 2000.  Jimmy Nielsen’s 1.02 career goals against average is the best for a goalkeeper in MLS history with a minimum of 4,000 minutes played and is the best mark for a Sporting KC goalkeeper all-time. Nielsen set a club record for minutes played during a single-season with 3,060. Only five other players -- three of whom were goalkeepers -- have played 3,060 minutes in a single-season in MLS history. Nielsen also set a club record for games played and games started in a single-season with 34 and recorded 15 shutouts, the second most shutouts by a keeper in a single-season. Nielsen was named the team’s Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year while he led Sporting Kansas City to 18 wins this season, which matched the MLS record in the non-shootout era for most wins in a single-season. Nielsen was also nominated six times for the 2012 MLS Save of the Week honors and earned the accolade all six times he was nominated for the weekly honor. Nielsen was named a 2012 AT&T MLS All-Star, the 2012 MLS Allstate Goalkeeper of the Year, and one of the 2012 MLS Best XI. Named team captain prior to start of season.