Four Sporting Kansas City players have been included on FourFourTwo’s 50 Best American Men's Players of 2017. U.S. National Team regulars Matt Besler and Graham Zusi make the list, as do MLS Goalkeeper and Defender of the Year, Tim Melia and Ike Opara.
The highest ranked Sporting KC player is Opara who comes in at number 15, six spots ahead of center back partner Besler who ranks 21st.
Ten players back is Zusi at number 31 while Melia rounds out the Sporting KC section of the rankings as the 36th highest ranked U.S. player of 2017.
Besler and Zusi have been consistent contributors for the U.S. National Team with 47 and 55 caps apiece, respectively, while both helped the U.S. win the CONCACAF Gold Cup in the summer.
Melia and Opara are yet to make their debuts for the U.S. though both enjoyed standout seasons in MLS action by winning the league’s Goalkeeper and Defender of the Year awards while the two were also named to the end-of-season MLS Best XI.
