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.[1] The award is decided based on votes from MLS players, MLS coaches and executives and media members.[2]

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 KC and Minnesota United.
Walker Zimmerman won the award back-to-back with Nashville SC
Season Winner Team Second
(Finalists)		 Third Fourth Fifth Sixth
1996 United States John Doyle San Jose Clash
1997 United States Eddie Pope D.C. United
1998 Czech Republic Luboš Kubík Chicago Fire
1999 United States Robin Fraser Los Angeles Galaxy
2000 United States Peter Vermes Kansas City Wizards
2001 United States Jeff Agoos San Jose Earthquakes
2002 United States Carlos Bocanegra Chicago Fire
2003 United States Carlos Bocanegra (2) Chicago Fire
2004[3] United States Robin Fraser (2) Columbus Crew (Jimmy Conrad,
Eddie Pope)
2005[4] United States Jimmy Conrad Kansas City Wizards Danny Califf Tyrone Marshall
2006[5] United States Bobby Boswell D.C. United (Jimmy Conrad,
Jose Burciaga)
2007 United States Michael Parkhurst New England Revolution
2008[6] United States Chad Marshall Columbus Crew (Jimmy Conrad,
Bakary Soumare)
2009 United States Chad Marshall (2) Columbus Crew
2010[7] Colombia Jámison Olave Real Salt Lake (Omar Gonzalez,
Nat Borchers)
2011 United States Omar Gonzalez Los Angeles Galaxy Jámison Olave Nat Borchers Carlos Valdés
2012 United States Matt Besler Sporting Kansas City Víctor Bernárdez Aurélien Collin Jay DeMerit
2013 Portugal José Gonçalves New England Revolution Matt Besler Omar Gonzalez Jámison Olave
2014 United States Chad Marshall (3) Seattle Sounders FC Bobby Boswell Omar Gonzalez Michael Parkhurst
2015 Belgium Laurent Ciman[1] Montreal Impact Kendall Waston Matt Hedges Matt Miazga
2016 United States Matt Hedges[2] FC Dallas Jelle Van Damme Axel Sjöberg Walker Zimmerman Steve Birnbaum
2017 United States Ike Opara[8] Sporting Kansas City Justin Morrow Kendall Waston Leandro González Pírez Matt Besler
2018 United States Aaron Long[9] New York Red Bulls Chad Marshall Michael Parkhurst Leandro González Pírez Kemar Lawrence
2019 United States Ike Opara[10] (2) Minnesota United FC Walker Zimmerman Miles Robinson Maxime Chanot Eddie Segura Aaron Long
2020 United States Walker Zimmerman[11] Nashville SC Mark McKenzie Jonathan Mensah Anton Tinnerholm Chris Mavinga Richie Laryea
2021 United States Walker Zimmerman[12] (2) Nashville SC Yeimar Gómez Andrade Miles Robinson Andreu Fontàs DeJuan Jones
2022 Norway Jakob Glesnes[13] Philadelphia Union Kai Wagner Alexander Callens

Wins by Team
Club Wins
Kansas City Wizards/Sporting KC 4
Chicago Fire 3
Columbus Crew 3
D.C. United 2
LA Galaxy 2
Nashville SC 2
New England Revolution 2
San Jose Clash/Earthquakes 2
FC Dallas 1
Minnesota United FC 1
Montréal Impact/CF Montréal 1
New York Red Bulls 1
Philadelphia Union 1
Real Salt Lake 1
Seattle Sounders FC 1

Wins by nationality
Nationality Wins
 United States 22
 Belgium 1
 Colombia 1
 Czech Republic 1
 Norway 1
 Portugal 1

References
  1. Montreal Impact defender Laurent Ciman named 2015 MLS Defender of the Year, mlssoccer.com
  2. "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 | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  4. "Major League Soccer announces winners of four year-end awards | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  5. "2006 MLS year-end awards finalists announced | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  6. "Conrad, Lopez finalists for year-end awards | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  7. "MLS names finalists for end-of-season awards | MLSSoccer.com". mlssoccer.
  8. "Sporting Kansas City's Ike Opara wins 2017 MLS Defender of the Year award". Major League Soccer. November 9, 2017. Retrieved November 9, 2017.
  9. Bogert, Tom (November 7, 2018). "New York Red Bulls' Aaron Long wins 2018 MLS Defender of the Year award". Major League Soccer. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  10. "Minnesota United FC's Ike Opara named MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer. October 17, 2019. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
  11. "Nashville SC's Walker Zimmerman named 2020 MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer. November 18, 2020. Retrieved November 18, 2020.
  12. "Nashville SC's Walker Zimmerman Named MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer. December 1, 2021. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  13. "Philadelphia Union's Jakob Glesnes named 2022 MLS Defender of the Year". Major League Soccer. October 19, 2022. Retrieved October 19, 2022.
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