Sad news: Former Sporting Kansas City soccer player Gadi Kinda dead at 31
Tragic news broke across the soccer world Tuesday morning.
Former Sporting Kansas City star Gadi Kinda has died at the age of 31.
Israel soccer team Maccabi Haifa — Kinda’s club at the time of his death — had previously announced that the midfielder was battling a complex medical situation.
The nature of Kinda’s illness was never publicly disclosed, and it was reported that he passed away early Tuesday.
“The player is hospitalized and undergoing a series of comprehensive tests,” read a recent X social-media post by Maccabi Haifa. “The club and the medical team are accompanying the player and his family and providing them with the full support they need.”
Kinda’s last appearance with Maccabi Haifa was on March 29.
“It’s raw emotion, obviously, in the club right now in the way the group is taking it in such a difficult way,” interim Sporting KC head coach Kerry Zavagnin said.
“It goes to show what he meant to all of us. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this difficult time. He was such an electric figure in our club and he’s going to be dearly missed.”
Sporting KC players posed with a Kinda jersey ahead of their Major League Soccer match at Portland on May 10. Former Israel national team peer Lael Abada, who stars for Charlotte FC, dedicated his goal that weekend to Kinda.
Kinda arrived in Kansas City on loan from Beitar Jerusalem in the winter of 2020. Coming from a relatively unknown team overseas, Kinda announced himself as a star in MLS quickly, scoring a stunning goal with his weak foot in his first game with Sporting.
Shooting from that angle, with his weaker foot, was audacious enough. But his flawless execution gave everyone a glimpse of what kind of player KC had on its hands.
In 80 games with Sporting KC, Kinda scored 16 goals and recorded 17 assists — the most prolific output with one club of his career. He also made 10 appearances with the Israel National Team.
Zavagnin was a longtime assistant on former manager Peter Vermes’ coaching staff while Kinda played for Sporting KC. Zavagnin described Kinda as quiet and humble.
“Even in training he was very unassuming,” Zavagnin said. “But when the lights went on and the game started, he just became a different person.
“He was entertaining, electrifying, creative and (it) was a great injection of spirit combined with humility in the club.”
Kinda usually wore a big smile. Whether he was providing an assist by threading the needle with the outside of his foot or scoring a stunning goal, he exuded class, brilliance and joy.
It was little wonder that he became a fan favorite for many in Kansas City.
Kinda’s last goal with Sporting KC — scored before he departed Kansas City during the 2023 MLS offseason — endeared him even further to the fanbase here.
With Sporting KC ahead 2-1 at St. Louis City in the 2023 MLS playoffs, Kinda unleashed a “worldie” — a banger of a goal that put the visitors comfortably in control of that first game. And that remains the only road win for either club in their nascent rivalry.
Kinda is survived by his wife and two young children.
Daniel Sperry covers soccer for The Star. He can be reached at sperry.danielkc@gmail.com.
This story was originally published May 20, 2025 at 11:52 AM.