Observations on Sporting Kansas City’s Shapi Suleymanov

Every football club in the world and their fans look upon new acquisitions with great anticipation. Will this player help bring us to the level we want to be at? Will this player mean more celebrations and sweet victories no matter his role?

Shapi rockets it from distance 🚀

Watch #SKCvDAL on #MLSSeasonPass on @AppleTV 🖥️: https://t.co/FQCDbAW4q7 pic.twitter.com/sU7CHX1Ppf

— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) June 15, 2025

Shapi Suleymanov certainly leveled-up June 14, 2025, v FC Dallas, cueing a raucous celebration.

The winger was acquired by Sporting Kansas City in a transfer from Greek club Aris Thessaloniki ahead of the 2025 season. The 5’7” 146lbs Russian was not an original prospect for Kansas City, however, as teammate Manu Garcia was the target. But Suleymanov caught Sporting’s attention and was recruited to come West as well.

After 26 matches with Sporting Kansas City, what are the early returns on Suleymanov? A close examination of three recent matches revealed much about the winger who has played mostly on the right flank for his new club. Have the two burning questions of new acquisitions been answered?

Since interim manager Kerry Zavagnin took over for the departed Peter Vermes on March 31 – six matches into the season – Sporting have been focusing on being more goal dangerous through the middle of the park. Perhaps subsequently, Suleymanov has been positioned in the inner right channel often, and he has been effective when able to cut inside and unleash his left foot on goal. The somewhat-pacey winger fits well Kansas City’s system that still bends towards a focus on wing play to open space inside and taking advantage of interchanging runs out wide.

Per fbref.com, the former Russian youth international has produced 2 goals and 3 assists (secondary assists not counted) in 1718 minutes with seven goal creation actions total.

In the three matches in which I observed Suleymanov closely – v New York City FC, July 19, at Vancouver Whitecaps, July 26; and v San Diego, August 9 – he is active in looking for ball during possession. Yet, the ball is often not played to him between the lines or in gaps. That is true for many active attackers, yet more so for Suleymanov as his companion fullback has either been Khiry Shelton or Andrew Brody, not exactly ideal attacking partners. Nevertheless, Suleymanov is in the 77^th percentile of wingers in progressive passes received due mostly to right center back Jansen Miller and attacking midfielder Garcia picking him out within Sporting’s system.

But what does the 25-year-old do when he gets the ball? The stats tell a gleaming story: Suleymanov is in the 81^st percentile amongst wingers in pass completion, as well as in the 80^th in progressive carries and the 92^nd in carries into the penalty area much due to a patented quick and deft cut to his much-preferred left foot. Additionally, Suleymanov is strong in hold up play and rarely loses the ball while maneuvering during possession. His shifty – though patterned in predictability – moves on the ball in combination with his quickness and his low center of gravity make Suleymanov effective in drawing fouls in dangerous areas (81^st percentile in fouls drawn). If only his service from set pieces was as dangerous.

Getting on the ball. And watching it roll.

Let’s look at attacking specifics from the three matches.

There are various plays that stand out across the three matches (two that do not include time with Suleymanov and Garcia on the pitch together). Four plays see Suleymanov trying to find either striker Dejan Joveljic or attacking midfielder/striker Santiago Munoz. It’s a vital connection that helps Kansas City cook in the attacking third when they connect. The winger does well to initiate a give-and-go with Joveljic in one instance, but his entry pass for the striker is denied in another. Suleymanov also completes a perceptive penetrating pass for Munoz, while a low cross after a cut inside to his left finds no one at home in the box.

In the box, Suleymanov makes some interesting decisions. Versus NYCFC, coordinated movement between pieces on the right wing brings Suleymanov to receive from Joveljic between two defenders. He cuts back to his left – eliminating one defender – for a better angle on goal and puts his shot into the gut of the goalkeeper. Not a bad decision… Yet, what would have a touch forward into space meant for a desperate defender and teammate Logan Ndenbe ready to hit the back post?

Against San Diego, twice the winger is put into the box via strong entry passes. The first time, Suleymanov gets to the ball at the endline, takes the time to cut back to his left foot, and has to play backwards instead of into a dangerous area. The second time he is in a more advantageous position and tries his right foot but cannot get enough on his shot. Two opportunities gone wanting, and two instances of a dependence on his left foot dictating his play or the outcome.

The worst example reveals the error of habit. A cut to his left in San Diego’s box opens a shot from a sharp angle. Suleymanov goes for the unlikely while Munoz and midfielder Jake Davis beg for the ball inside the top middle and top right of the box. Is Suleymanov too deep into the mode of cutting back and shooting or playing across the box that he is blind to other options?

Suleymanov is determined on the ball, no doubt, like a man possessed. It is the conversion that is substandard. But how is he off the ball? He would not get into the above positions with the ball without being active and aware of the space around him. But against Vancouver, Suleymanov is often stagnant in the middle and final third unless there is a goal dangerous situation. “Disappointing” was his performance in the match according to an Apple TV commentator.

Early in the first half versus NYCFC, as left back Ndenbe – who began carrying farther back field than Suleymanov was positioned – carries up field, Suleymanov stays significantly behind the play in the middle right channel in no position of danger to receive a ball that would split the defense and get in behind. Shortly after, though, Suleymanov bolts to the near post for another Ndenbe attack. Then, he is switched to the left wing in the 2^nd half and has no-to-little impact.

On the defensive

As inconsistent as Suleymanov is as an effective attacker – though he is sometimes spectacular – he is even more inconsistent as an effective defender: Counter-pressing in the attacking third somewhat successfully? Check. Defending Sporting’s flank and weak-side back post? Questionable, very.

In the defensive vacuum of a right winger, technically the player is responsible only for containing and/or marking the opposing left wing back, assuming the opponent deploys one. Unfortunately, there are many instances of Suleymanov letting his man blow right by him, failing to get back when the opponent breaks, losing his man and then seeing him receive in a dangerous area, and in a broader responsibility, being caught in no man’s land as teams attack through his space.

During one Whitecaps’ venture in Sporting’s third, Suleymanov is lackadaisical in his pressure on the ball, then when ball is switched to the other wing, he only points at his man in the box as he watches from afar.

Similar situations like the above playout versus NYCFC, inspiring an Apple TV commentator to exclaim, “The winger doesn’t want to come back and work” in reference.

It is not surprising that on corners, Suleymanov is only assigned to pressure in case one is taken short. However, the Whitecaps’ Sebastian Berhalter baits him easy in one instance and plays the ball to a man steaming towards the box behind Suleymanov.

Due to Suleymanov’s struggles versus Vancouver, the question came begging to me of, ‘Shouldn’t Shapi be tucked in and back more defensively when SKC lose possession or even structurally in the buildup so can circumvent counters more readily?’ And that is exactly what Zavagnin did (not just with Suleymanov) against San Diego to good results. In that match, Suleymanov played his part well. And there are moments like hustling back to mark after a poor clearance by Sporting goalkeeper John Pulskamp versus NYCFC. But moments like lazily shepherding the opponent’s direction of the ball without true intent are much more prevalent.

Conclusions

In his short time thus far, Suleymanov has rightfully earned a position of respect with Sporting Kansas City’s faithful as a player who will fight for his club, particularly when opponents are being naughty. Suleymanov’s showing St. Louis City’s Celio Pompeau and his antics to be ridiculous during the two sides’ battle in May will live in the Russian’s legacy forever.

#NewProfilePic pic.twitter.com/FWWzNRNV5E

— Sporting Kansas City (@SportingKC) May 15, 2025

In Sporting Kansas City’s spotlight on Suleymanov, Joveljic gives his teammate some props: “We need to have guys and players like him who are good outside of the field and when you step on the field, they’re like fighters.”

For the fans and the club, Suleymanov gives his pledge: “I give my maximum for the games. I will give my all. Fans will never see me like I don’t want to move, I will try and give my best because we play for the fans. We want them to be happy, when we win, they’re happy and we will give the maximum.”

The counterpoint taken from observations is even though when on the ball Suleymanov gives his all, off the ball his intensity is not full.

The tremendous goal versus FC Dallas in June was a level above. And it brought celebration. But he has not scored since, and there has been no assist since the May tilt v St. Louis City. Suleymanov’s bright underlying percentiles are more a product of the wings being an area of emphasis within Sporting Kansas City’s attack than any individual industry or brilliance.

Suleymanov’s contract runs through 2026. The conclusion from observations not only from these three matches, but the entire season are this: There is nothing in his game to suggest that Suleymanov has any more of a ceiling than what we have seen. Both current top wingers Daniel Salloi and Erik Thommy are superior talents who can help win matches in more ways than the Russian winger.

However, Suleymanov will still provide the “Wow” factor every now and then. And he proudly wears and defends his club’s badge. Those traits are no doubt valuable. Yet, a contending club is built, even in part, on more.