Peter Vermes is the only person to win MLS Cup as a player and coach with the same team.
That begins and ends the discussion regarding the mastermind behind Sporting Kansas City’s rise to perennial contender after rebranding from the Kansas City Wizards.
Vermes was part of Kansas City soccer nearly every season from 2000 when he joined the club and helped lead them to the Supporter’s Shield and MLS Cup while winning MLS Defender of the Year honors, all the way to 2025.
As a player, injuries hobbled him throughout the 2001 and 2002 seasons in KC, and in those two seasons combined he made only one more total appearance (33) than he made in the year 2000 alone (32).
Vermes’ shirt is an absolute beauty with the dual layer mesh really highlighting the royal blue material beneath and bringing out the unique details in the numbering used that season.
The away jersey features the 9/11 Memorial Patch on the right sleeve, and also has USA Soccer Foundation patches on the sleeve and on the back below the numbers.
Vermes or the equipment manager has ripped the inside tag out of the neck of the jersey. It is still in excellent shape for being nearly 20 years old.
Peter Vermes has always been Sporting Kansas City.
Much of the history of the club is built in his image and has his fingerprints all over it.
He’s been a big part of six of the seven titles that the Kansas City Wizards/Sporting Kansas City have won since 1996. The only title he didn’t have a hand in was the 2004 U.S. Open Cup.
While his time as manager has come and gone, he will always be a Sporting Legend.