Most people have heard of the Golden Boot, the award given to the Major League Soccer player with the highest regular season goal tally. However, soccer is a team sport, and the goal scorers would be nothing without the people at the other end of the pitch – the defenders.
For them, the lesser-known Defender of the Year award was created.
Defenders will never get the same kind of attention as attacking players, but the Defender of the Year award gives the best of them their moment of glory. There are some total MLS legends in the list below, all of whom have saved the day for their respective clubs countless times.
Which of these do you remember?
List of All Defender of the Year Winners
Interestingly, while a large number of Golden Boot winners have been foreign nationals, especially in recent years, the majority of the Defender of the Year recipients are Americans, and that hasn’t really changed much as the years have gone on.
In fact, all but 6 of the players on this list are US born:
- 1996 – John Doyle (San Jose Clash)
Doyle was the bedrock of the San Jose defense during MLS’s inaugural season, combining no-nonsense tackles with calm distribution under pressure. He was rarely beaten in the air and brought a sense of maturity to a brand-new league. - 1997 – Eddie Pope (D.C. United)
Pope stood out for his timing and reading of the game as D.C. United claimed another title. In key moments, he seemed one step ahead of opposing forwards, quietly snuffing out danger without resorting to rash challenges. - 1998 – Luboš Kubík (Chicago Fire)
Kubík arrived from Europe and immediately raised the bar for defenders in MLS, helping the Fire win a championship in their first season. He didn’t just stop attacks—he started them too, often stepping into midfield with elegance and intent. - 1999 – Robin Fraser (LA Galaxy)
Fraser was the heart of a Galaxy back line that conceded just 29 goals all year. His calm decision-making under pressure made him the go-to leader when games got tense. - 2000 – Peter Vermes (Kansas City Wizards)
A striker turned center-back, Vermes adapted brilliantly to his new role, directing a defense that allowed the fewest goals in MLS. His understanding of attacking movement gave him a unique edge when shutting it down. - 2001 – Jeff Agoos (San Jose Earthquakes)
Agoos played a pivotal role in transforming the Earthquakes’ defense, leading them to concede only 30 goals—the fewest in the league that season. His leadership and experience were instrumental in San Jose’s journey from last place in 2000 to MLS Cup champions in 2001. - 2002 – Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago Fire)
In his second professional season, Bocanegra anchored a Chicago defense that allowed just 41 goals, showcasing maturity beyond his years. His performances earned him his first MLS Defender of the Year award and solidified his reputation as one of the league’s top defenders. - 2003 – Carlos Bocanegra (Chicago Fire)
Bocanegra continued his exceptional form, leading the Fire to the MLS Cup Final and earning his second consecutive Defender of the Year award. His consistent performances and leadership at the back were key factors in Chicago’s successful season. - 2004 – Robin Fraser (Columbus Crew)
At 37, Fraser’s experience and composure were vital in guiding the Crew to the Supporters’ Shield, conceding only 30 goals throughout the season. His ability to organize the defense and mentor younger teammates earned him his second Defender of the Year honor. - 2005 – Jimmy Conrad (Kansas City Wizards)
Conrad’s commanding presence and tactical awareness were central to the Wizards’ defense, which allowed just 38 goals that season. His performances not only earned him the Defender of the Year award but also solidified his place as a leader on both club and national teams. - 2006 – Bobby Boswell (D.C. United)
Boswell emerged as a defensive linchpin for D.C. United, starting all 30 matches and contributing to a defense that allowed just 38 goals, the second-fewest in MLS that season. His performances earned him the MLS Defender of the Year award, MLS Best XI honors, and a spot in the MLS All-Star team that defeated Chelsea FC 1–0. - 2007 – Michael Parkhurst (New England Revolution)
Parkhurst showcased exceptional discipline and intelligence, playing every minute of the season without receiving a single card, a testament to his clean and effective defending. His remarkable consistency and leadership were pivotal in guiding the Revolution to their third consecutive MLS Cup Final. - 2008 – Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew)
Marshall anchored a formidable Crew defense that conceded only 36 goals, leading to the team’s first Supporters’ Shield and MLS Cup victories. His aerial dominance and timely interventions were crucial in the Crew’s successful campaign. - 2009 – Chad Marshall (Columbus Crew)
Continuing his stellar form, Marshall became the second player in MLS history to win back-to-back Defender of the Year awards, solidifying his reputation as a defensive stalwart. His leadership and consistency were instrumental in the Crew securing another Supporters’ Shield. - 2010 – Jámison Olave (Real Salt Lake)
Olave’s imposing presence and athleticism were key factors in RSL setting an MLS record for the fewest goals allowed in a season, with just 20 conceded. His contributions were recognized with the Defender of the Year award and a spot in the MLS Best XI. - 2011 – Omar Gonzalez (LA Galaxy)
At just 23, Gonzalez became the youngest player to win the Defender of the Year award, anchoring a Galaxy defense that conceded a league-low 28 goals. His performances were pivotal in the Galaxy’s MLS Cup triumph that year. - 2012 – Matt Besler (Sporting Kansas City)
Besler’s calm and composed defending led Sporting KC to the best defensive record in MLS, with only 27 goals conceded. His leadership at the back was a cornerstone of the team’s success, earning him the Defender of the Year accolade. - 2013 – José Gonçalves (New England Revolution)
In his debut MLS season, Gonçalves played every minute of all 34 regular-season matches, providing stability and strength to the Revolution’s backline. His immediate impact was recognized with the Defender of the Year award. - 2014 – Chad Marshall (Seattle Sounders FC)
Marshall became the first player in MLS history to win the Defender of the Year award three times, anchoring a Sounders defense that contributed to the team’s first-ever Supporters’ Shield. His experience and consistency were vital to Seattle’s success. - 2015 – Laurent Ciman (Montreal Impact)
Ciman’s arrival from Standard Liège bolstered the Impact’s defense, helping the team reach the CONCACAF Champions League final. His leadership and defensive prowess earned him the Defender of the Year award in his first MLS season. - 2016 – Matt Hedges (FC Dallas)
Hedges captained FC Dallas to both the Supporters’ Shield and the U.S. Open Cup, leading a defense that conceded just 40 goals. His commanding presence and organization at the back were key factors in the team’s double-winning season. - 2017 – Ike Opara (Sporting Kansas City)
Opara’s resilience and athleticism were on full display as he led Sporting KC to a league-best 29 goals conceded. His standout performances earned him the Defender of the Year award and a place in the MLS Best XI. - 2018 – Aaron Long (New York Red Bulls)
Long emerged as a key figure in the Red Bulls’ defense, starting 31 matches and helping the team set a new MLS points record. His contributions were recognized with the Defender of the Year award, making him the first Red Bulls player to receive the honor. - 2019 – Ike Opara (Minnesota United FC)
In his first season with Minnesota, Opara transformed the team’s defense, leading them to their first playoff appearance and earning his second Defender of the Year award. His leadership and defensive acumen were instrumental in the team’s turnaround. - 2020 – Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
Zimmerman played a pivotal role in Nashville’s impressive inaugural season, anchoring a defense that conceded just 22 goals in 23 matches. His performances earned him the Defender of the Year award and a spot in the MLS Best XI. - 2021 – Walker Zimmerman (Nashville SC)
Zimmerman became the first defender in over a decade to win back-to-back Defender of the Year awards, leading Nashville to a 0.96 goals-against average in his appearances. His consistent excellence solidified his reputation as one of the league’s top defenders. - 2022 – Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union)
Glesnes was a cornerstone of the Union’s defense, starting all 34 matches and contributing to a league-best 26 goals conceded. His durability and defensive prowess earned him the Defender of the Year award. - 2023 – Matt Miazga (FC Cincinnati)
Miazga’s leadership and defensive solidity were key factors in FC Cincinnati’s turnaround season, culminating in the team’s first Supporters’ Shield. His performances were recognized with the Defender of the Year award. - 2024 – Steven Moreira (Columbus Crew)
Moreira’s versatility and defensive contributions were instrumental in the Crew’s success, helping the team achieve 10 clean sheets and concede only 29 goals. His impact was acknowledged with the Defender of the Year award. - 2025 – Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps FC)
Blackmon helped Vancouver’s defence concede just 38 goals – the second-fewest in the league – while keeping 13 clean sheets – the joint second-most in MLS. Across 25 league appearances, he also contributed offensively with 2 goals and 1 assist, underpinning a Whitecaps campaign that produced the best points, wins, goal-difference, and goals-tallies in club history.
How the Winner is Decided
Considering the magnitude of this award, albeit a personal honor, the selection process is quite informal.
Any defender who has played at least 500 minutes in the league can be nominated, and each club is allowed to nominate a number of players. After that, the league itself creates a final shortlist and the winner id decided by a vote. However, there is no formal criteria, the award isn’t based on a set of statistics. Those with a vote can pick whoever they like for whatever reason they think is valid.
There are three groups that get to vote for eligible players:
- Other Players
- Technical Staff
- Media
An equal 33.3% from each voting group accounts for the final result, and the winner is simply the defender with the most votes.
So it’s an award that is essentially decided by a player’s peers. However, there is speculation that narrative based voting means some players are overlooked when they shouldn’t be.
Each person voting may consider stats when making their decision, but they don’t have to. That means a player who has had a lot of headlines or been in a team that performed well may be favoured even if, technically, a more low key player performed better.
Therefore, if the award was decided on some combination of stats the results list above may look quite different. That said, it would be quite difficult to work out exactly how a statistics based approach would work, as it isn’t as simple as goals scored or number of clean sheets/shut outs.