Kenneth Vermeer was signed by FC Cincinnati from the MLS Waiver List on May 7, 2021 to a guaranteed contract through 2022. The Dutch veteran international goalkeeper most recently played for LAFC in 2020 after a 15-year professional career in the Netherlands and Belgium.
2021 (FC Cincinnati): Started and played in 19 games for the Orange and Blue, where he recorded four clean sheets and made 57 saves … Named to MLS’s Team of the Week presented by Audi for Week 14 after his eight-save performance against Atlanta United FC on July 21 … Debuted on May 16 in the TQL Stadium opener against Inter Miami CF in the Orange and Blue’s 3-2 loss, but earned his first win six days later at CF Montréal in Fort Lauderdale in a 2-1 win.
2020 (LAFC): Started and played in eight games for LAFC, recording one clean sheet and making 20 saves. CCL: Made five Concacaf Champions League starts, earning one clean sheet against Club Leon.
INTERNATIONAL: Vermeer has five caps for the Netherlands senior side, making his debut in a 0-0 draw against Germany on November 14, 2012 … The following year, he shut out Estonia and Romania during the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers.
OUTSIDE MLS: Vermeer transferred to LAFC from Feyenoord (NED) … He played in 16 of Feyenoord’s 18 league matches, posting a 8-3-6 record and helping the team secure a spot in the Europa League qualifiers … He appeared in all four qualifying matches, earning three shutouts, before seeing action in four of the six Europa League Group G contests … In all, the 34-year-old in 2019 played in 25 out of a possible 29 matches in 2019, logging 2,250 minutes in net … During six seasons with Feyenoord, Vermeer posted 40 shutouts in 133 matches, including appearances in the Europa League and Champions League … He led the team to the Eredivisie title in 2016-17, the KNVB Cup in 2015-16 and a pair of Johan Cruyff Shields (2017-18) … He also spent a brief loan stint during the 2017-18 campaign with Belgium’s Club Brugge, posting a 3-1-3 record in league and postseason matches, while helping the side secure its 15th Jupiler Pro League title … Vermeer made his professional debut during the 2006-07 UEFA Cup for Dutch side Ajax, playing 45 minutes of the 4-0 victory over IK Start … He spent the following season at Willem II Tilburg, playing in 16 of the team’s 34 league matches, before returning to Ajax ahead of the 2008-09 campaign … While at Ajax, Vermeer played in 103 league matches, nine UEFA Cup games, four Europa League games, and 13 Champions League contests, registering 50 shutouts in just under 12,300 minutes … He won four consecutive Eredivisie titles from 2010-14, the KNVB Cup in 2009-10, and the Johan Cruyff Shield in 2013.
