Khiry Shelton

Khiry Lamar Shelton (; born June 26, 1993) is an American professional soccer player. He has also represented the United States at the under-18 and under-23 levels.

Club career

College and amateur Shelton was born in Fort Carson, Colorado and raised in Leander, Texas. He attended high school at Vista Ridge in Cedar Park, Texas, becoming a four-year letterman for their soccer team, while in 2010 he was selected as Offensive MVP and was a first-team member of the All District select. Joining Lonestar SC, he was a member of the academy and played for them at under-17/18 level, winning the Disney Showcase Championship with them in 2010. with the expansion club turning down an offer of a considerable amount of allocation money in exchange for their pick to instead draft the player who Head Coach Jason Kreis described as "our top guy".

He made his debut for the club coming in their first Major League Soccer match, away to fellow expansion team Orlando City SC at the Citrus Bowl; he came on as a 62nd-minute substitute for Mehdi Ballouchy in an eventual 1–1 draw. Shelton totalled 17 games in his first season as his team missed out on the MLS Cup Playoffs, and scored one goal: on May 15 at Yankee Stadium against the Chicago Fire, he replaced Patrick Mullins after 60 minutes, and in added time he equalized for a 2–2 draw from David Villa's pass.

Sporting Kansas City On December 14, 2017, Shelton was traded to Sporting Kansas City in exchange for Saad Abdul-Salaam.

SC Paderborn On January 5, 2019, Shelton signed a contract through 30 June 2021 with 2. Bundesliga side SC Paderborn 07.

Return to Sporting Kansas City On December 9, 2019, it was announced that Shelton would return to Sporting Kansas City on a contract through to 2022 with an option for 2023. Following the 2025 season, Kansas City opted to release him from the club.

International career Shelton was called up to the United States under-18 team in 2010, attending a training camp with them in California before flying out to Israel in December 2010 to compete in an international tournament against the hosts plus France and Germany.

Some five years later, his drafting by New York City FC led to Shelton receiving a call-up to the United States under-23 in their games against Bosnia and Herzegovina and Denmark in March 2015. Shelton was brought on from the substitutes bench after 61 minutes against Bosnia and played the full match against Denmark, though again he failed to score on either occasion.

In January 2016, Shelton received his first call up to the senior United States squad for friendlies against Iceland and Canada.

Career statistics

Club