It was only one year ago that St. Louis CITY SC kicked off its unforgettable inaugural season with a rousing win in Austin, Texas. Since then, the club has amassed an impressive list of accomplishments, winning the MLS Western Conference and qualifying for the CONCACAF Champions Cup. Now, as CITY aims to reach even higher in 2024, familiarize yourself with the players St. Louis will be counting on to kick off the season.
9 / FORWARD / JOÃO KLAUSS
He will once again be the finisher on the CITY attack. Klauss was the name to know as CITY’s inaugural season got underway, recording nine goal contributions (five goals, four assists) in the club’s first 10 games. But a quad injury suffered in late April put Klauss on the bench for approximately four months, a sour twist in an otherwise exciting debut campaign for the 26-year-old Brazilian. Klauss, though, is back to full health and eager to enjoy a productive second season in St. Louis.
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46 / FORWARD / CADEN GLOVER
Glover made only a brief cameo during MLS play last year, though his role is expected to increase in 2024. The 16-year-old has the tools to add a jolt to CITY’s attack, as evidenced by his seven goals in 19 matches at the MLS Next Pro level in 2023. According to head coach Bradley Carnell, Glover is taking the necessary development steps to earn the trust of St. Louis’ coaching staff, and figures to see more opportunities off the bench as the year unfolds.
16 / FORWARD / SAMUEL ADENIRAN
During a season full of standout individual performances in 2023, Adeniran’s breakout was easily one of the most impactful. After returning from his loan to USL Championship side San Antonio in late June, Adeniran scored all eight of his goals for CITY during a 14-game stretch of league contests that bridged the summer and the fall. Five of those goals opened a game’s scoring, and the club won four and drew another of the six games in which he found the back of the net. That kind of firepower will be crucial for CITY to harness amid the transfer departure of former striker Niko Gioacchini.
29 / FORWARD / NÖKKVI THÓRISSON
Acquired last summer via a transfer from Belgium Club Beerschot V.A., Thórisson used the final months of the 2023 season to acclimate to life with a North American club. In 2024, he’s poised to provide valuable depth as a second striker—particularly after Gioacchini’s departure for Italy.
19 / MIDFIELD / INDIANA VASSILEV
Vassilev offers CITY positional versatility as an attacking mid—he even made a brief cameo as a wingback late in 2023—and will give the club further lineup flexibility as the season continues. Last year was a good one for the 23-year-old, who, in addition to his club duties, received a call-up to U.S. Olympic team training camp during the fall.
25 / MIDFIELD / AZIEL JACKSON
A year ago at this time, Jackson was simply trying to earn a role on CITY’s first-team roster. Now, he’s viewed as a crucial contributor after an excellent debut season in St. Louis. Jackson possesses an intriguing combination of skill and work-rate, making him a must-watch player whenever he’s on the ball. The U.S. Men’s National Team has noticed, too, calling up Jackson to participate in international competition last month.
21 / MIDFIELD / RASMUS ALM
Alm was a reliable contributor for CITY in 2023, operating primarily along the right side. You could even make the case that he was the club’s most underrated player. Bottom line, Alm was able to spark the CITY attack in so many ways when he was on the field. The problem, however, was that injuries limited his ability to stay in the lineup all season. If he can stay healthy, Alm will continue to key CITY efforts to get the ball where it needs to go.
10 / CENTER MID / EDUARD LÖWEN
For much of the 2023 season, Löwen excelled in the CITY midfield and, often, looked like one of the club’s most valuable players. Although he prefers the No. 6 role, he can also mix in and out of duties at the Nos. 8 and 10 positions to give CITY another layer of lineup versatility.
12 / MIDFIELD / CÉLIO POMPEU
Pompeu punctuated CITY’s inaugural season by scoring the club’s final goal of the year. It was a beauty, too—a left-footed strike from distance that found a home in the upper left corner during the final minutes of St. Louis’ 2-1 playoff-ending loss to Sporting Kansas City on November 5. CITY fans have relished the opportunity to watch Pompeu grow into his game, initially with CITY2 in 2022 and later with the first-team during 2023. Off the bench, Pompeu offers speed, energy, and skill.
7 / MIDFIELD / TOMÁŠ OSTRÁK
CITY was initially attracted to Ostrák for both his creativity and his ability to influence play off the ball. Although he had his moments in 2023, finishing with three goals and two assists in 30 regular season matches, Ostrák’s play could feel a bit hit-and-miss. He could be primed to have a more consistently productive season in 2024.
6 / CENTER MID / NJABULO BLOM
Before the calendar turned to 2024, Blom experienced a painful snub: South Africa did not select him to its roster for the Africa Cup of Nations tournament. Even so, it may not have been the worst thing in the long run, as it allowed Blom to report early for CITY’s preseason camp—something he was unable to do after his initial acquisition last winter. Blom will continue to be a key player for CITY as a stopper in the club’s midfield.
8 / CENTER MID / CHRIS DURKIN
Acquired in a trade with D.C. United in December, Durkin adds further skill and defensive ability to the CITY midfield. There was a lot to like from the 24-year-old during preseason showings, and he’ll be counted on to provide a meaningful presence as the season progresses.
20 / DEFENDER / AKIL WATTS
The 24-year-old earned a new contract after last season. He’ll provide CITY with depth in the defensive midfield, as well as at left and right back.
85 / CENTRAL MID / HOSEI KIJIMA
It didn’t take long for Kijima, CITY’s first pick in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft, to acclimate to life on St. Louis’ roster. If the preseason is any indication, Kijima is ready to contribute during MLS action. CITY signed him to a one-year contract earlier this week, and included club options through 2027.
15 / DEFENDER / JOSH YARO
Yaro appeared in 16 matches for CITY in 2023, seeing the bulk of his action during the second half of the season. He’ll continue to provide depth along the back line, while providing leadership behind the scenes.
26 / DEFENDER / TIM PARKER
It’s hard to imagine a player enjoying a more seamless transition to the St. Louis sports scene than Parker, who scored the club’s first-ever goal, quickly became a fan favorite, launched a locally-made beer, and served as one of the faces of CITY soccer. When CITY acquired Parker in the fall of 2022, the club was counting on him providing a veteran presence on the field and in the dressing room. Parker, the club’s vice captain, more than delivered in 2023, and he’ll continue to carry a heavy set of responsibilities in 2024.
2 / DEFENDER / JAKE NERWINSKI
Like Parker, Nerwinski gives CITY a veteran presence on the back end. With recent acquisitions, it may be more likely that Nerwinski’s role in 2023 is to provide the club with crucial depth as a reserve.
4 / DEFENDER / JOAKIM NILSSON
After a knee injury sidelined him for much of 2023, Nilsson finally debuted for CITY in August. He only appeared in eight regular season matches, and appeared at times to still be shaking off the rust created by the downtime. CITY sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel has touted Nilsson as potentially one of the best defenders in MLS.
22 / DEFENDER / KYLE HIEBERT
After doing everything asked of him in 2023, Hiebert earned a new contract with the club in December. He can play at center back, as well as on the left side, where he helped stabilize CITY’s defense for stretches last year.
44 / DEFENDER / NIKOLAS DYHR
Acquired from FC Midtjylland of the Danish Superliga in January, Dyhr is projected to help CITY shore up its defense along the left side. He also brings winning experience to the lineup, having claimed titles at both the youth and senior levels in Denmark.
14 / DEFENDER / TOMAS TOTLAND
A right back acquired from Swedish First Division club BK Häcken in December, Totland projects as a starter along the right side for CITY in 2024. He’s a U.S. and Norway dual national who has experience playing in Europa League, Europa League qualifiers, and Champions League qualifiers.
13 / DEFENDER / ANTHONY MARKANICH
After acquiring Markanich in a trade with Colorado last summer, the 24-year-old projects as a depth piece for CITY in 2024.
1 / GOALKEEPER / ROMAN BÜRKI
No CITY player has competed on a higher level than Bürki. That was evident throughout his first season in St. Louis, after which Bürki earned MLS Goalkeeper of the Year honors. His 17 wins were the most of any goalie in their first MLS season during the post-shootout era. Meanwhile, Bürki’s 42 goals conceded were the fewest of any goalkeeper to play at least 30 games during an expansion club’s inaugural campaign in a 34-game season.
39 / GOALKEEPER / BEN LUNDT
The 28-year-old German will once again serve as the backup to Bürki. Lundt played his college ball at Akron, and posted nine clean sheets in 33 matches with Phoenix Rising FC in the USL Championship in 2022.
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