Matt Besler has been a staple of soccer in Kansas City for nearly 10 years now. With that level of longevity and success with a team, records start to get broken.
Friday night was one of those nights.
The Sporting KC captainās start in Friday night's 6-0 mauling of the Vancouver Whitecaps was his 228th career start in the clubās colors, drawing him level with assistant coach and former midfielder Kerry Zavagnin in the clubās record book for most regular-season starts. And in the 55th minute, Besler moved past Zavagnin for the most regular-season minutes played, further cementing his status among the clubās legends.
āThe fact that weāre still here, and the total has added up, just means that Iām old,ā Besler joked. āThatās all it means to me.ā
In his usual āothers firstā mode, Besler went on to praise those who have helped made his record possible.
āThe record is a byproduct of a lot of other people,ā said the center back. āIāve been fortunate to be on some great teams. Iāve had a lot of great teammates, and I play for an incredible organization. So, those things are really the reason Iāve been able to play in so many games.ā
One person he credited was the man whose records he caught up to this weekend.
āI have the utmost respect for Kerry as a player, and as a coach,ā Besler said. āOne thing Iāll say about Kerry, is that he never stops coaching me. Thatās something I really appreciate.
āIt doesnāt matter how old I am, or the fact that Iāve played in a World Cup, whatever the case may be, heās always tried to make me better. Heās never given up on that. He coaches me hard, and I really have enjoyed that relationship with Kerry.ā
The Overland Park, Kansas native was drafted in 2009 by the then-Kansas City Wizards. He was asked if he had any thought back then that his career couldāve gone the way it has.
āNo. Not at all,ā Besler said. āI was 21 when I got drafted, and Iām still playing 10 years later. I was happy to get drafted, and I was hoping for an opportunity, trying to make the most of an opportunity, and make a roster. And part of that has never left me. That mindset.ā
Head coach Peter Vermes has been there almost every step of the way. Vermes replaced Curt Onalfo as the Wizardsā head coach midway through Beslerās rookie season in 2009. Vermes joked in Fridayās post-match press conference that Zavagnin ākept telling me, ādonāt play him!āā
After the chuckles subsided, Vermes laid out his thoughts on what Besler had accomplished.
āIām actually really happy that itās Bees,ā said the coach, using Beslerās locker-room nickname. āAnd the reason why is heās a guy from here. He really lives and breathes the club. And it means a lot to him to play here.
āHe takes poor performances as a team, and individually, very seriously. He feels like heās letting down the city. For it to be him, I think itās great. I really do. And I congratulate him because heās been a consummate professional.ā