Sporting Kansas City’s Salloi driven to see his club rise again

Daniel Salloi had just experienced, yet again, Sporting Kansas City, his “hometown” club, fall behind in an MLS match at home, this time in an eventual 1-1 draw with New York City FC last Saturday night. In this rebuild season – and any rebuild is trying – Salloi has now witnessed the capitulation 10 times.

When the 10-year club veteran is asked in the locker room afterwards if there is a mental trap the club or individuals can fall into seeing the recurring pattern, Salloi focuses on progress before providing a glimpse into the trap:

“[Progress is] how you have got to look at it because this team has something special, but you just never know when it’s going to turn or if it’s going to be too late.”

Salloi’s development from a Homegrown Player signed in early 2016 and making his Sporting KC debut in April of 2017 to a breakout season in 2018 with 16 goals and 7 assists across all competitions was just on time. And scoring the match winner in the 2017 Lamar Hunt US Open Cup Final at home will always be a glorious memory.

Last Saturday night’s goal – where the Hungarian native did well to hit a rebound into the turf and keep it on frame – drew his longtime club level in a match where a win would have positioned them for a playoff stretch run.

“I’m glad I could get us the point,” Salloi said after. “But I wish it would have been the game winner.”

There aren’t many match winners these days, for Salloi or his club. In his 10 years at Sporting Kansas City, Salloi has grabbed snippets of glory, but has mostly been left grasping at glory just out of (or completely out of) reach:

• Champion 2017 US Open Cup
• Top of Western Conference 2018, home conference final MLS playoff loss
• Last in West 2019
• Top of West 2020, home conference semifinal playoff loss
• 3^rd in West 2021, home conference semifinal playoff loss
• 12^th in West 2022, OT loss in US Open Cup Semifinal
• 8^th in West 2023, conference semifinal playoff loss
• 13^th in West 2024, US Open Cup Final loss

Salloi has been fortunate, yet, as fans can empathize, filled with what could-have-beens – something special that doesn’t turn on or turns on too late. Still today during the mini-revival and the associated positives Sporting is experiencing under interim head coach Kerry Zavagnin, there are ghosts of past disappointment, perhaps disillusionment, lingering. Sometimes that leads to visible signs of the burden of chasing glory – a hanging of the head after a disappointing play followed by a deep breath before continuing on or a shrug of frustration after a failed attack.

It is as if poet Walt Whitman’s advice leaves one still flailing: “Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.”

Salloi’s production within the struggles and near triumphs of his “hometown” club has been parallel, sometimes turned on, sometimes just off.

After his breakout 2018, one goal and one assist followed in 2019 and 2020, total per FBref.com, After his 2021 MLS MVP finalist season of 16 goals and 7 assists, Salloi dipped to a solid but unspectacular 7 goals 3 assists and 7 goals and 8 assists in the next two seasons.

Then 2024. With the club mired in a six-match winless streak, frustration reached a new level:

#SportingKC’s Daniel Salloi echoing the sentiments of HC Peter Vermes about players not having the right mentality..

“If there’s players who don’t have the mentality, get rid of them.”

Included himself when saying if guys need to go, then get rid of him too if his own mentality… pic.twitter.com/WeK7nF62Xb

— PJ Green (@ByPJGreen) May 12, 2024

Sporting and Salloi ended the season in 13^th in the West, with Salloi producing only 3 goals and 4 assists.

Now, with Sporting Kansas City sitting only five points out of a playoff spot and Salloi gelling with a talented attacking core, Salloi is surging. Six goals and four assists have Salloi on- pace for his second-best season in goal scoring and goal contributions.

But Salloi knows what it takes, and like the fans, he has been here before. Thus, he is guarded, perhaps to protect against the hope that can rise, yet tumble quickly.

“I think we are doing a lot of good things,” Salloi stated. “We have a lot of mistakes. We’re lacking quality in certain areas. I think we’re in a well-deserved position right now.”

Although Salloi did not arrive in Kansas City until he was in high school, there are no quotes around Salloi’s expression of his “hometown” club. Salloi lives and dies with his club on the field, all because he is driven to perform so joy can spread to the fans who have suffered but fought through the same battles with the club. And to get love from those fans and score on his birthday Saturday night was… elképesztő.

“It’s amazing. I got a lot of signs today, and that’s special,” said a glowing Salloi. “This is home for me, and these fans have always looked at me as one of their own. It’s special. This club is everything for me, so I really appreciate it. And [the support] definitely helped me get that goal.”

The 29-year-old Salloi is no longer one of the youngest on Sporting Kansas City’s roster. As his beloved club rebuilds and his role slowly transitions from provider of big moments to more of a supporting role – which may be the most challenging inwardly and outwardly for a player – the goals do not change: An MLS Cup. A champion’s league title. Hardware. Rewarding the fans who are waiting for their club to rise again.

“I’m very happy to see the young guys do well,” said Salloi. “I hope they do well, and I hope I can lead them in the right direction.”

Salloi gets it. He understands firsthand the trials Sporting Kansas City’s fans have experienced. He is one of them.

Salloi’s largest legacy in eventuality will be to leave the club well, to give the rising youth and its fans what he had and mostly what he is yet to have.