Sporting KC signs Croatian defender Puncec to international spot on club roster

Sporting Kansas City on Wednesday announced the signing of 28-year-old Croatian defender Roberto Puncec to a two-year MLS contract through 2021, with an option for 2022.

He will occupy an international spot on Sporting’s roster pending receipt of his International Transfer Certificate and P1 visa, the club said in a news release.

Puncec has made 300 professional appearances through 12 seasons in Croatia, Israel and Germany. The center back spent the last two-plus seasons with Croatian first-division club HNK Rijeka, which won the Croatian Cup this spring.

“Roberto has significant experience playing in Europe over the last several years,” Sporting Kansas City manager and technical director Peter Vermes said in a statement issued by the club. “He is very excited to be here and we look forward to him integrating into our club and our city.”

A Croatian native, Puncec came up through the NK Varazdin academy and signed his first senior team contract in 2008 at age 16. He became a regular starter in 2009 and helped NK Varazdin earn a spot in 2011-12 UEFA Europa League qualifying. He joined Maccabi Tel Aviv in the summer of 2011, making 23 total appearances, including five in the UEFA Europa League group stage.

Puncec joined Union Berlin of Bundesliga’s second division in 2012, starting in 118 of his 128 appearances across all competitions. Union Berlin finished in the top half of the standings in each of his five seasons there.

He returned to Croatia in 2017 with HNK Rijeka, which registered consecutive second-place finishes in the Croatian First Football League.

This story was originally published December 4, 2019 at 3:43 PM with the headline "Sporting KC signs Croatian defender Puncec to international spot on club roster."