MLS: Top 5 full-backs in league history

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14 Oct 2000: Tony Meola and Peter Vermes of the Kansas City Wizards pose for a studio portrait after receiving the Pepsi Best 11 Award during the MLS Awards at the Reagan Building in Washington, D.C.Mandatory Credit: Matthew Stockman /Allsport /

2. Peter Vermes

Falling just short of the top spot on our list of the best ever full-backs in the history of Major League Soccer is another man who is currently a head coach in the league, Sporting Kansas City boss Peter Vermes.

Prior to being part of the league’s inaugural season in 1996, Vermes spent the early part of his professional career in Europe. He featured for Gyori ETO FC, Volendam and Figueres before moving back to the United States for the league’s first year.

MLS Career & Honours:

MetroStars (1996)
Colorado Rapids (1997-1999)
Kansas City Wizards (2000-2002)

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MLS Defender of the Year – 2000
MLS Best XI – 2000

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MLS Cup – 2000
Supporters’ Shield – 2000

After a loan spell with New York Fever in the United Soccer League, Vermes was drafted with the 29th overall pick in the MLS Inaugural Draft and immediately signs for the New York/New Jersey MetroStars, becoming the club captain in his first season in the league. He played the most minutes of anyone on the team in his rookie season, but the club traded the defender to Colorado Rapids ahead of the 1997 term.

He announced his retirement from the United States international set-up in 1997, his first season in Colorado, following a nine-year career that saw him play 66 times for his country, scoring 11 goals in the process.

In his three seasons with the Rapids, Vermes played over 100 times for the club and was influential in helping the side reach MLS Cup 1997 in his first year there. Unfortunately, the Rapids lost out to D.C. United, who took home their second straight title.

After leaving Colorado, he found himself in Kansas City, signing for the Wizards ahead of the 2000 season, the year that would be, by far, his best in the league. It was the year that saw the Wizards rise to the American footballing spotlight, with the team and its players taking home almost every trophy possible.

MONTERREY, MEXICO – APRIL 04: Peter Vermes, coach of Sporting KC, looks on prior the semifinal match between Monterrey and Sporting KC as par of the CONCACAF Champions League 2019 at BBVA Bancomer Stadium on April 04, 2019 in Monterrey, Mexico. (Photo by Azael Rodriguez/Getty Images) /

The club finished the league series in 1st place, winning the Supporters’ Shield for the first time in their history, before going all the way to win the MLS Cup in the final match of the season, beating 1998 champions Chicago Fire 1-0 in the final. Vermes was an ever-present throughout the campaign, starting all 39 matches (32 regular-season, 7 playoffs), as the Wizards won the title.

He was rewarded with individual accolades after the 2000 campaign as well, alongside team-mate Tony Meola, who took home the MLS MVP and Goalkeeper of the Year awards. Vermes was named MLS Defender of the Year, and also took a place in the 2000 MLS Best XI alongside Meola.

That was as good as it got for the defender, who spent another two seasons in Kansas City before announcing his retirement following the conclusion of the 2002 campaign. He finished his playing career in MLS with more than 200 games under his belt, including 25 post-season clashes, along with becoming the first of four defenders from Kansas City (Wizards & Sporting) to be named Defender of the Year, with Jimmy Conrad, Matt Besler and Ike Opara following in his footsteps.

The latter pair have won the award with Vermes as their head coach at Sporting KC, having taken over the role in 2009. He remains the longest-tenured head/coach in the league and has been with the team for over a decade. In that time, SKC have lifted the MLS Cup and won the U.S. Open Cup three times, most recently in 2017.

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