Sporting Kansas City announced today that the club have signed defender Tim Leibold, 29, an experienced left-back who has amassed more than 20 goals and 40 assists in nearly 300 professional appearances in his native Germany.
Leibold, who has signed a three-year contract with MLS until 2025 with an option for 2026, will fill an international spot in Sporting’s squad pending receipt of his international transfer certificate and P1 visa. He becomes the third German newcomer to Sporting since the start of 2022, following defender Robert Voloder and midfielder Erik Thommy.
Leibold will join Sporting after spending the last eight seasons in Germany’s top two divisions. He starred for Nurnberg from 2015 to 2019 – helping the club to promotion to the Bundesliga’s top flight in 2018 – and has competed for Hamburg ever since, including a year-long stint as club captain during the 2020-21 campaign.
A dynamic left-back with an attacking streak, Leibold developed through the youth ranks of VfB Stuttgart, TSF Ditzingen and SGV Freiberg before turning professional with Freiberg aged 18 in 2012. He scored five goals and four assists in his only season for the club before joining VfB Stuttgart II, where he started 54 games in two years in Germany’s third division.
Leibold had a breakthrough in 2015 when he joined 2. Bundesliga side Nurnburg and solidified his position as a first team regular. He scored four goals and two assists in his first season at Nurnburg as the club narrowly missed out on promotion to the Bundesliga with a 2–1 aggregate defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in the promotion/relegation playoff. Leibold missed most of the following season through injury, but bounced back in 2017–18 with four goals and three assists in 32 appearances as Nurnburg secured promotion to the Bundesliga with a second-place finish in the league.
The 2018-19 campaign saw Leibold lead Nurnburg to 32 Bundesliga appearances, as well as scoring three goals. Competing in one of the best leagues in the world, he led the team in passing, tackles, recoveries and key touches, ranking second in minutes played.
Leibold then returned to the 2. Bundesliga with a move from Nurnburg to Hamburg, where he had his best professional season to date in 2019-20. He played every minute of all 34 league matches and led the 2. Bundesliga with 16 assists, including two-assist games in wins over Dynamo Dresden and former club Nurnberg. Leibold wore the captain’s armband at Hamburg in 2020-21, delivering another standout season with four goals and four assists in 29 league appearances as the club finished fourth for the second consecutive year.
Leibold has started 15 of Hamburg’s 17 matches over the past two seasons, including cup wins over Nurnberg and Eintracht Braunschweig in the 2021-22 DFB-Pokal.
At international level, Leibold played five games for the Germany Under-20 team in 2013, including knockout victories over Turkey, Netherlands and Poland.
For a full list of Sporting’s pre-season squad changes, visit SportingKC.com/news/tracker. The club will kick off its 28th MLS campaign on Feb. 25, visiting the Portland Timbers in the first start to a regular season in league history. Sporting’s home opener at Children’s Mercy Park is scheduled for March 11 against the LA Galaxy.
Sporting Kansas City Season Tickets offer exclusive benefits, including an MLS Season Pass subscription on the Apple TV app and free tickets to away games, and are available by calling 888-4KC-GOAL or visiting SportingKC.com. Sporting also offers a variety of ticket packages and promotions including the starter pack and Captain’s flexible package. Additionally, single game tickets for Sporting’s first eight regular season home games at Children’s Mercy Park in 2023 are now on sale via SeatGeek.
Transaction: Sporting Kansas City (MLS) signs defender Tim Leibold to a three-year MLS deal through 2025, with an option for 2026.
Tim Leibold (lie-bold)
Position: Defender
Birth: 11/30/1993 (29 years old)
Height: 5-9
Weight: 160 pounds.
Hometown: Boblingen, Germany
Place of birth: Boblingen, Germany
Citizenship: Germany
Former club: Hamburg SV (Germany)
Instagram: @tim.leibold
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