// Workers AI · dad joke modeWho's Kevin Kelsy? An egg-cellent guy, he's an egg-ceptional person.
 Kelsy playing for Shakhtar Donetsk | |||
| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Kevin Jesús Kelsy Genez[1] | ||
| Date of birth | 27 July 2004 | ||
| Place of birth | Valencia, Venezuela[1] | ||
| Height | 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in) | ||
| Position | Forward | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Portland Timbers | ||
| Number | 19 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| Mineros de Guayana | |||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021–2022 | Mineros de Guayana | 33 | (5) |
| 2023 | Boston River | 0 | (0) |
| 2023–2025 | Shakhtar Donetsk | 27 | (7) |
| 2024 | → FC Cincinnati (loan) | 23 | (6) |
| 2025– | Portland Timbers | 43 | (9) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2022– | Venezuela U20 | 8 | (0) |
| 2024– | Venezuela U23 | 5 | (2) |
| 2025– | Venezuela | 4 | (0) |
|
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 1 May 2026 ‡ National team caps and goals as of 18 November 2025 | |||
Kevin Jesús Kelsy Genez (born 27 July 2004) is a Venezuelan professional footballer who plays as a forward for Major League Soccer club Portland Timbers and the Venezuela national team.
Club career
[edit]Early career
[edit]Having broken into the first team at Mineros de Guayana in 2021, Kelsy went on to establish himself in the 2022 season, scoring his first goals for the club.[2] Kelsy transferred to Uruguayan Primera División club Boston River on 1 January 2023. He was subsequently transferred before making any appearances for the Montevideo-based side.[3]
Shakhtar Donetsk
[edit]On 31 January 2023, Shakhtar Donetsk announced the signing of Kelsy from Boston River on a contract until the end of December 2027.[4] He signed with the Ukrainian club during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.[5]
On 23 February 2023, Kelsy was a substitute during the Europa League Playoff 2nd Leg against Rennes.[6] In the penalty shootout he scored the deciding goal that took Shakhtar Donetsk to the Round of 16.[6]
On 19 September 2023, Kelsy scored on his UEFA Champions League debut against FC Porto in a 3–1 loss, becoming the fourth-youngest South American to score in the competition behind Roque Santa Cruz, Lionel Messi and Rodrygo.[7][8]
FC Cincinnati
[edit]On 30 April 2024, MLS side FC Cincinnati announced Kelsy's acquisition via loan for the remainder of the 2024 season with an option to buy as part of the MLS U-22 initiative program.[9] On 11 May 2024 Kelsy scored his first goal for the club as part of a 2–1 win over the Columbus Crew in the Hell is Real Derby.[10]
Portland Timbers
[edit]On 25 January 2025, Kelsy completed a transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk to the Portland Timbers for a fee reported to be near $6 million. Kelsy signed a four-year contract with a club option for a fifth year.[11]
Additionally, Portland sent $75k in General Allocation Money with performance-related escalators to FC Cincinnati for Kelsy’s MLS rights.[11]
Kelsy made his Timbers debut in a 4–1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on 23 February. He tallied his first goal for Portland in his fifth league appearance for the club, a 3–0 home win against the Colorado Rapids on 22 March.[12]
Career statistics
[edit]Club
[edit]- As of match played 18 October 2025[13]
| Club | Season | League | National cup[a] | League cup[b] | Continental | Other[c] | Total | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Mineros | 2021 | Venezuelan Primera División | 9 | 0 | – | – | – | – | 9 | 0 | ||||
| 2022 | 24 | 5 | – | – | – | – | 24 | 5 | ||||||
| Total | 33 | 5 | – | – | – | – | 33 | 5 | ||||||
| Shakhtar Donetsk | 2022–23 | Ukrainian Premier League | 14 | 5 | – | – | 3[d] | 1 | – | 17 | 6 | |||
| 2023–24 | 13 | 2 | 2 | 0 | – | 5[e] | 1 | – | 20 | 3 | ||||
| Total | 27 | 7 | 2 | 0 | – | 8 | 2 | – | 37 | 9 | ||||
| FC Cincinnati (loan) | 2024 | Major League Soccer | 23 | 6 | – | 4 | 0 | – | 2 | 0 | 29 | 6 | ||
| Portland Timbers | 2025 | Major League Soccer | 33 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6[f] | 1 | 34 | 9 |
| Career total | 108 | 24 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 8 | 2 | 8 | 1 | 188 | 28 | ||
- ↑ Includes Ukrainian Cup
- ↑ Includes Leagues Cup
- ↑ Includes MLS Cup playoffs
- ↑ Appearances in UEFA Europa League
- ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
- ↑ Three appearances and one goal in Leagues Cup, three appearances in MLS Cup Playoffs
International
[edit]- As of match played 18 November 2025
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| Venezuela | 2025 | 4 | 0 |
| Total | 4 | 0 | |
Honours
[edit]Shakhtar Donetsk
References
[edit]- 1 2 Kevin Kelsy at WorldFootball.net
- ↑ "Kevin Kelsy agarra un »avioncito» para mejorar como delantero" [Kevin Kelsy grabs a »little plane» to improve as a striker]. pasionxeldeporte.com (in Spanish). 27 July 2022. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- ↑ "Kevin Kelsy joins Shakhtar". shakhtar.com. FC Shakhtar Donetsk. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
- ↑ "Kevin Kelsy joins Shakhtar". shakhtar.com. FC Shakhtar Donetsk. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 31 January 2023.
- ↑ "Ukraine war: UN condemns Russian invasion ahead of anniversary". BBC News. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- 1 2 "Rennes 2-1 Shakhtar Donetsk". UEFA. 23 February 2023. Retrieved 23 February 2023.
- ↑ "Shakhtar 1-3 Porto". UEFA. 19 September 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
- ↑ "IFFHS CONTINENTAL NEWS - UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE". The International Federation of Football History and Statistics. 20 September 2023. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
- ↑ FC Cincinnati acquire Kevin Kelsy on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk (https://www.fccincinnati.com/news/fc-cincinnati-acquire-kevin-kelsy-on-loan-from-shakhtar-donetsk) 30 April 2024. Retrieved 30 April 2024.
- ↑ "Columbus Crew 1-2 FC Cincinnati (May 11, 2024)". ESPN. Retrieved 12 May 2024.
- 1 2 Timbers sign forward Kevin Kelsy (https://www.timbers.com/news/timbers-sign-forward-kevin-kelsy) 22 January 2025. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
- ↑ Timbers down Colorado Rapids in 3-0 shutout win on the road (https://www.timbers.com/news/recap-timbers-rout-rapids-3-0-in-colorado) 22 March 2025. Retrieved 28 April 2025.
- ↑ Kevin Kelsy at Soccerway
External links
[edit]- Kevin Kelsy at Soccerway.com
- Kevin Kelsy at WorldFootball.net
- Kevin Kelsy at Soccerbase.com
- Kevin Kelsy at National-Football-Teams.com
- Kevin Kelsy at FBref.com
- Kevin Kelsy at BDFutbol
- Kevin Kelsy at Kicker (in German)
- Kevin Kelsy at Major League Soccer
- 2004 births
- Living people
- Footballers from Valencia, Venezuela
- Venezuelan men's footballers
- Men's association football forwards
- A.C.C.D. Mineros de Guayana players
- Boston River players
- FC Shakhtar Donetsk players
- FC Cincinnati players
- Portland Timbers players
- Venezuelan Primera División players
- Ukrainian Premier League players
- Major League Soccer players
- Venezuela men's youth international footballers
- Venezuela men's under-20 international footballers
- Venezuela men's international footballers
- Venezuelan expatriate men's footballers
- Venezuelan expatriate sportspeople in Uruguay
- Venezuelan expatriate sportspeople in Ukraine
- Venezuelan expatriate sportspeople in the United States
- Expatriate men's footballers in Uruguay
- Expatriate men's footballers in Ukraine
- Expatriate men's soccer players in the United States
- 21st-century Venezuelan sportsmen
- Footballers at the 2022 South American Games