Tim Leibold joined Sporting Kansas City in January 2023 having amassed more than 20 goals and 40 assists in nearly 300 professional appearances in his native Germany. Leibold is the third German newcomer at Sporting since the start of 2022, following center back Robert Voloder and midfielder Erik Thommy.
Leibold spent eight seasons across Germany’s top two divisions from 2015-2022. He starred at Nurnberg from 2015-2019 before moving to Hamburg, where he served as club captain during the 2020-21 campaign. Leibold developed in youth academies at VfB Stuttgart, TSF Ditzingen and SGV Freiberg before turning professional with Freiberg at age 18 in 2012. Leibold enjoyed a breakthrough in 2015 by joining 2. Bundesliga side Nurnburg and solidifying his place as a regular starter. The 2018-19 campaign saw Leibold lead Nurnburg with 32 Bundesliga starts while also assisting three goals. Competing in one of the world’s best leagues, he led the team in key passes, tackles, recoveries and touches while placing second in minutes played.
Leibold then returned to the 2. Bundesliga with a move 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.
PROFESSIONAL
2024: Made 35 appearances, including 29 starts in all competitions, tallying one goal and three assists from left back. Ranked third among all outfield players on the team with 2,702 minutes played in all competitions, only trailing Erik Thommy (2,937) and Jake Davis (2,772). MLS Regular Season: Started 24 of 28 appearances and recorded all four of his goal contributions on the season. Recorded his first assist of the campaign on Erik Thommy's opening goal in the 3-2 home loss to Inter Miami CF in front of over 72,000 spectators at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium on April 13. Scored his first goal for the club with the game-winner in the 2-0 home win over Austin FC on June 29 before adding assists in his next two matches - a 2-1 road loss to the Colorado Rapids on July 4 and the 3-2 home win over FC Dallas on July 7. Open Cup: Started two of four appearances as Sporting reached the Open Cup Final, including a 38-minute outing as a substitute in the 3-1 road loss to LAFC in the Final . Leagues Cup: Started all three matches in the Leagues Cup, logging 277 minutes as Sporting were eliminated in the Round of 32.
2023: Signed with Sporting as a free agent in January 2023 and went on to make 21 appearances across all competitions, tallying three assists. MLS Regular Season: Started nine of 17 appearances and recorded three assists. Made his debut for the club as a substitute during the 1-0 loss at Portland in the season opener on Feb. 27, before making his first start in the 0-0 draw with LA in the home opener on March 11. Recorded his first assist on the game-winner in the 4-1 home win over Portland on May 28 before tallying another in the 4-1 home win over Austin FC on June 10. Added his third assist in the 3-0 home win over Vancouver on July 1. MLS Cup Playoffs: Made one appearance, playing 89 minutes in the 1-0 loss at Houston in the Western Conference Semifinals. Open Cup: Did not feature. Leagues Cup: Started and played all 270 minutes of Sporting's three matches in the Leagues Cup.
Hamburger SV (2019-2023): Leibold 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 donned the captain’s armband at Hamburg in 2020-21, delivering another standout season with four goals and four assists in 29 league starts as the club finished fourth for the second straight year. Leibold has started 15 of 17 appearances for Hamburg in his final two seasons with the club, including starts in cup victories over Nurnberg and Eintracht Braunschweig in the 2021-22 DFB-Pokal.
FC Nurnburg (2015-2019): Leibold enjoyed a breakthrough in 2015 by joining 2. Bundesliga side Nurnburg and solidifying his place as a regular starter. He notched four goals and two assists in his first season at Nurnburg, with the club narrowly missing out on promotion to the Bundesliga with a 2-1 aggregate loss 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 clinched Bundesliga promotion with a second-place league finish. The 2018-19 campaign saw Leibold lead Nurnburg with 32 Bundesliga starts while also assisting three goals. Competing in one of the world’s best leagues, he led the team in key passes, tackles, recoveries and touches while placing second in minutes played.
VfB Stuttgart II (2013-2015): Joined VfB Stuttgart II ahead of the 2013-2014 season in the 3. Liga. Went on to start 54 matches across two years in the German third division.
SGV Freiberg (2012-2013): Tallied five goals and four assists in his lone season for the club In the fifth tier of German soccer.
INTERNATIONAL
At the international level, Leibold played five matches for the Germany U-20s in 2013, including shutout wins over Turkey, Netherlands and Poland.
YOUTH
Leibold developed in youth academies at VfB Stuttgart, TSF Ditzingen and SGV Freiberg before turning professional with Freiberg at age 18 in 2012.
