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MLS Defender of the Year Award

MLS Defender of the Year Award

The Major League Soccer Defender of the Year Award is an annual award handed out to the top defender in Major League Soccer annually since the league's inception in 1996. The award is decided based on votes from MLS players, MLS coaches and executives and media members.

John Doyle won the inaugural award with the San Jose Clash for the 1996 MLS season.

Winners

With three wins, [[Chad Marshall]] has won the most MLS Defender of the Year Awards.
US men's national team]] player [[Carlos Bocanegra]] is a two-time winner of the award.
[[Ike Opara]] won the award with both [[Sporting Kansas City]] and [[Minnesota United FC]].
[[Walker Zimmerman]] won the award back-to-back with [[Nashville SC
SeasonWinnerTeamFinalists
1996USA John DoyleSan Jose Clash
1997USA Eddie PopeD.C. United
1998CZE Luboš KubíkChicago Fire
1999USA Robin FraserLos Angeles Galaxy
2000USA Peter VermesKansas City Wizards
2001USA Jeff AgoosSan Jose Earthquakes
2002USA Carlos BocanegraChicago Fire
2003USA Carlos Bocanegra (2)Chicago Fire
2004USA Robin Fraser (2)Columbus CrewJimmy Conrad
Eddie Pope
2005USA Jimmy ConradKansas City WizardsDanny Califf
Tyrone Marshall
2006USA Bobby BoswellD.C. UnitedJimmy Conrad
Jose Burciaga
2007USA Michael ParkhurstNew England Revolution
2008USA Chad MarshallColumbus CrewJimmy Conrad
Bakary Soumare
2009USA Chad Marshall (2)Columbus Crew
2010COL Jámison OlaveReal Salt LakeOmar Gonzalez
Nat Borchers
2011USA Omar GonzalezLos Angeles GalaxyJámison Olave
Nat Borchers
Carlos Valdés
2012USA Matt BeslerSporting Kansas CityVíctor Bernárdez
Aurélien Collin
Jay DeMerit
2013POR José GonçalvesNew England RevolutionMatt Besler
Omar Gonzalez
Jámison Olave
2014USA Chad Marshall (3)Seattle Sounders FCBobby Boswell
Omar Gonzalez
Michael Parkhurst
2015BEL Laurent CimanMontreal ImpactKendall Waston
Matt Hedges
Matt Miazga
2016USA Matt HedgesFC DallasJelle Van Damme
Axel Sjöberg
Walker Zimmerman
Steve Birnbaum
2017USA Ike OparaSporting Kansas CityJustin Morrow
Kendall Waston
Leandro González Pírez
Matt Besler
2018USA Aaron LongNew York Red BullsChad Marshall
Michael Parkhurst
Leandro González Pírez
Kemar Lawrence
2019USA Ike Opara{{cite newsurl=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/10/17/minnesota-united-fc--ike-opara-named-mls-defender-yeartitle=Minnesota United FC's Ike Opara named MLS Defender of the Yeardate=October 17, 2019access-date=October 17, 2019}} (2)Minnesota United FC
2020USA Walker Zimmerman{{cite newsurl=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/11/18/nashville-scs-walker-zimmerman-named-2020-mls-defender-yeartitle=Nashville SC's Walker Zimmerman named 2020 MLS Defender of the Yeardate=November 18, 2020access-date=November 18, 2020}}Nashville SC
2021USA Walker Zimmerman (2)Nashville SCYeimar Gómez Andrade
Miles Robinson
Andreu Fontàs
DeJuan Jones
2022NOR Jakob GlesnesPhiladelphia UnionKai Wagner
Alexander Callens
2023USA Matt MiazgaFC CincinnatiTim Parker
Yeimar Gómez Andrade
2024CPV Steven MoreiraColumbus CrewJordi Alba
Jackson Ragen
2025USA Tristan BlackmonVancouver Whitecaps FCKai Wagner
Jakob Glesnes

Wins by club

ClubWins
Columbus Crew4
Kansas City Wizards/Sporting KC4
Chicago Fire3
D.C. United2
LA Galaxy2
Nashville SC2
New England Revolution2
San Jose Clash/Earthquakes2
FC Cincinnati1
FC Dallas1
Minnesota United FC1
Montréal Impact/CF Montréal1
New York Red Bulls1
Philadelphia Union1
Real Salt Lake1
Seattle Sounders FC1
FC Cincinnati1
Vancouver Whitecaps FC1

Wins by nationality

NationalityWins
25
1
1
1
1
1
1

References

References

  1. [http://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2015/11/11/montreal-impact-defender-laurent-ciman-named-2015-mls-defender-year Montreal Impact defender Laurent Ciman named 2015 MLS Defender of the Year] {{Webarchive. link. (August 12, 2017 , mlssoccer.com)
  2. [http://www.goal.com/en-us/news/1110/major-league-soccer/2016/11/11/29416662/matt-hedges-wins-2016-mls-defender-of-the-year "The FC Dallas center back beat out the Galaxy’s Jelle Van Damme for the award"], Goal.com, November 11, 2016.
  3. "Crew defender Robin Fraser selected as one of three finalists for MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer.
  4. "Major League Soccer announces winners of four year-end awards". Major League Soccer.
  5. "2006 MLS year-end awards finalists announced". Major League Soccer.
  6. "Conrad, Lopez finalists for year-end awards | MLSSoccer.com".
  7. "MLS names finalists for end-of-season awards". Major League Soccer.
  8. (November 9, 2017). "Sporting Kansas City's Ike Opara wins 2017 MLS Defender of the Year award". Major League Soccer.
  9. (November 7, 2018). "New York Red Bulls' Aaron Long wins 2018 MLS Defender of the Year award". Major League Soccer.
  10. (December 1, 2021). "Nashville SC's Walker Zimmerman Named MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer.
  11. (October 19, 2022). "Philadelphia Union's Jakob Glesnes named 2022 MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer.
  12. (November 13, 2023). "FC Cincinnati's Matt Miazga named 2023 MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer.
  13. (November 13, 2024). "Columbus Crew's Steven Moreira named 2024 MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer.
  14. (October 28, 2025). "Vancouver Whitecaps FC's Tristan Blackmon named 2025 MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer.
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