The 2010s were indeed a decade to remember for fans of the Sporting Kansas City soccer team. After moving to their new stadium, now known as Children’s Mercy Park in 2010, the club rebranded the former Kansas City Wizards as Sporting KC. They proceeded to claim four championships over the course of the ensuing decade.

Sporting won the U.S Open Cup in 2012 by defeating the Seattle Sounders in Kansas City. In the title game, regulation time ended in a 1-1 draw. Sporting KC outscored Seattle 3-2 on penalty kicks to win its first cup since 2004, when they were still known as the Wizards.

In the next season, Sporting won the MLS Cup by defeating Real Salt Lake in Kansas City. Once again, a 1-1 draw in regulation sent the title game into penalty kicks, with Sporting KC outlasting their opponents 7-6.

Their second U.S. Open Cup of the decade same two years later, in 2015. Sporting KC went on the road in the finals this time, defeating Philadelphia Union. For the third consecutive title match, regulation ended in a 1-1 deadlock. Sporting KC prevailed 7-6 in penalty kicks to claim the cup.

In the 2017 season, Sporting KC won their fourth championship in this memorable decade. In front of 21,523 fans at Children’s Mercy Park, the home squad prevailed 2-1 over the New York Red Bulls.

Pictured, from left to right: Dom Dwyer, Roger Espinoza, Graham Zusi, Benny Feilhaber, Ilie Sanchez, Tim Melia, Aurelien Collin, Kei Kamara, Seth Sinovic, and Matt Besler. These players were selected by the website Fansided.com as the ten best Sporting KC players of the decade.

This piece features these ten players set against a backdrop of Children’s Mercy Park. It involved countless hours of researching players and representative photos, sketching potential poses, and composing the piece before the painting process began.

This original oil painting is on a cradled birch panel. It measures 24” wide by 48” tall with a custom-built, natural maple frame 2.5” in depth. This piece ships free in the U.S.

Limited-edition prints are also available.

“A Decade of Champions” prints