Former MLS standout Gadi Kinda dies at age 31
Former Sporting Kansas City midfielder Gadi Kinda has died at the age of 31, Major League Soccer announced Tuesday on social media.
In a post on Instagram, MLS called Kinda – who played for Kansas City from 2020 to 2023 – "a fan favorite for his outstanding play on the field, his passion for the sport, and his spirit of kindness and his generosity to everyone around him."
Kinda last played for his club team in Israel, Maccabi Haifa, on March 29.
The club announced earlier this month that Kinda was hospitalized while "going through a complex medical battle in recent weeks."
Kinda was born in Ethiopia and moved to Israel when he was a child. He earned 10 caps for Israel at the international level, spending most of his pro career in the Israeli Premier League.
He joined Sporting KC in 2020 and during his four seasons there, he tallied 14 goals and 16 assists in 64 regular-season games.