MLS Defender of the Year Award

{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}} {{Use American English|date=April 2024}} 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.<ref name="mlsfef">[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|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812061915/https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2015/11/11/montreal-impact-defender-laurent-ciman-named-2015-mls-defender-year |date=August 12, 2017 }}, mlssoccer.com</ref> The award is decided based on votes from MLS players, MLS coaches and executives and media members.<ref name="auto">[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.</ref>

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

==Winners== [[File:Chad Marshall Dynamo vs Sounders 2016-04-10 cropped.jpg|thumb|With three wins, Chad Marshall has won the most MLS Defender of the Year Awards.]] [[File:Carlos-Bocanegra.jpg|thumb|US men's national team player Carlos Bocanegra is a two-time winner of the award.]] [[File:Ike Opara Minnesota United - (33725990208) (cropped to square).jpg|thumb|Ike Opara won the award with both Sporting Kansas City and Minnesota United FC.]] [[File:USMNT vs. Trinidad and Tobago (48124887166) (cropped) 2.jpg|thumb|Walker Zimmerman won the award back-to-back with Nashville SC]] {| class="wikitable sortable" |- !|Season !|Winner !|Team !|Finalists |- |1996 |{{flagicon|USA}} John Doyle |San Jose Clash | |- |1997 |{{flagicon|USA}} Eddie Pope |D.C. United | |- |1998 |{{flagicon|CZE}} Luboš Kubík |Chicago Fire | |- |1999 |{{flagicon|USA}} Robin Fraser |Los Angeles Galaxy | |- |2000 |{{flagicon|USA}} Peter Vermes |Kansas City Wizards | |- |2001 |{{flagicon|USA}} Jeff Agoos |San Jose Earthquakes | |- |2002 |{{flagicon|USA}} Carlos Bocanegra |Chicago Fire | |- |2003 |{{flagicon|USA}} Carlos Bocanegra (2) |Chicago Fire | |- |2004<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/crew-defender-robin-fraser-selected-one-three-finalists-mls-defender-year|title=Crew defender Robin Fraser selected as one of three finalists for MLS Defender of the Year|publisher=Major League Soccer}}</ref> |{{flagicon|USA}} Robin Fraser (2) |Columbus Crew | Jimmy Conrad Eddie Pope |- |2005<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/major-league-soccer-announces-winners-four-year-end-awards|title=Major League Soccer announces winners of four year-end awards|publisher=Major League Soccer}}</ref> |{{flagicon|USA}} Jimmy Conrad |Kansas City Wizards | Danny Califf Tyrone Marshall |- |2006<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2006-mls-year-end-awards-finalists-announced|title=2006 MLS year-end awards finalists announced|publisher=Major League Soccer}}</ref> |{{flagicon|USA}} Bobby Boswell |D.C. United | Jimmy Conrad Jose Burciaga |- |2007 |{{flagicon|USA}} Michael Parkhurst |New England Revolution | |- |2008<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/conrad-lopez-finalists-year-end-awards|title=Conrad, Lopez finalists for year-end awards | MLSSoccer.com|website=mlssoccer}}</ref> |{{flagicon|USA}} Chad Marshall |Columbus Crew | Jimmy Conrad Bakary Soumare |- |2009 |{{flagicon|USA}} Chad Marshall (2) |Columbus Crew | |- |2010<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/mls-names-finalists-end-season-awards|title=MLS names finalists for end-of-season awards |publisher=Major League Soccer}}</ref> | {{flagicon|COL}} Jámison Olave |Real Salt Lake | Omar Gonzalez Nat Borchers |- |2011 | {{Flagicon|USA}} Omar Gonzalez | Los Angeles Galaxy | Jámison Olave Nat Borchers Carlos Valdés |- |2012 | {{flagicon|USA}} Matt Besler | Sporting Kansas City | Víctor Bernárdez Aurélien Collin Jay DeMerit |- |2013 | {{flagicon|POR}} José Gonçalves | New England Revolution | Matt Besler Omar Gonzalez Jámison Olave |- |2014 |{{Flagicon|USA}} Chad Marshall (3) |Seattle Sounders FC | Bobby Boswell Omar Gonzalez Michael Parkhurst |- |2015 |{{flagicon|BEL}} Laurent Ciman<ref name="mlsfef"/> |Montreal Impact | Kendall Waston Matt Hedges Matt Miazga |- |2016 |{{flagicon|USA}} Matt Hedges<ref name="auto"/> |FC Dallas | Jelle Van Damme Axel Sjöberg Walker Zimmerman Steve Birnbaum |- |2017 |{{flagicon|USA}} Ike Opara<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2017/11/09/sporting-kansas-citys-ike-opara-wins-2017-mls-defender-year-award|title=Sporting Kansas City's Ike Opara wins 2017 MLS Defender of the Year award|publisher=Major League Soccer|date=November 9, 2017|access-date=November 9, 2017}}</ref> |Sporting Kansas City | Justin Morrow Kendall Waston Leandro González Pírez Matt Besler |- |2018 |{{flagicon|USA}} Aaron Long<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bogert |first1=Tom |title=New York Red Bulls' Aaron Long wins 2018 MLS Defender of the Year award |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2018/11/07/new-york-red-bulls-aaron-long-wins-2018-mls-defender-year-award |publisher=Major League Soccer |access-date=November 7, 2018 |date=November 7, 2018}}</ref> |New York Red Bulls | Chad Marshall Michael Parkhurst Leandro González Pírez Kemar Lawrence |- |2019 |{{flagicon|USA}} Ike Opara<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2019/10/17/minnesota-united-fc--ike-opara-named-mls-defender-year|title=Minnesota United FC's Ike Opara named MLS Defender of the Year |publisher=Major League Soccer|date=October 17, 2019|access-date=October 17, 2019}}</ref> (2) |Minnesota United FC | Walker Zimmerman Miles Robinson Maxime Chanot Eddie Segura Aaron Long |- |2020 |{{flagicon|USA}} Walker Zimmerman<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/post/2020/11/18/nashville-scs-walker-zimmerman-named-2020-mls-defender-year|title=Nashville SC's Walker Zimmerman named 2020 MLS Defender of the Year |publisher=Major League Soccer|date=November 18, 2020|access-date=November 18, 2020}}</ref> |Nashville SC | Mark McKenzie Jonathan Mensah Anton Tinnerholm Chris Mavinga Richie Laryea |- |2021 |{{flagicon|USA}} Walker Zimmerman<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/nashville-sc-s-walker-zimmerman-named-mls-defender-of-the-year|title=Nashville SC's Walker Zimmerman Named MLS Defender of the Year|publisher=Major League Soccer|date=December 1, 2021|access-date=December 1, 2021}}</ref> (2) |Nashville SC | Yeimar Gómez Andrade Miles Robinson Andreu Fontàs DeJuan Jones |- |2022 |{{flagicon|NOR}} Jakob Glesnes<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/philadelphia-union-s-jakob-glesnes-named-2022-mls-defender-of-the-year|title=Philadelphia Union's Jakob Glesnes named 2022 MLS Defender of the Year|date=October 19, 2022|access-date=October 19, 2022|publisher=Major League Soccer}}</ref> |Philadelphia Union | Kai Wagner Alexander Callens |- |2023 |{{flagicon|USA}} Matt Miazga<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/fc-cincinnati-s-matt-miazga-named-2023-mls-defender-of-the-year|title=FC Cincinnati's Matt Miazga named 2023 MLS Defender of the Year|date=November 13, 2023|access-date=November 13, 2023|publisher=Major League Soccer}}</ref> |FC Cincinnati | Tim Parker Yeimar Gómez Andrade |- |2024 |{{flagicon|CPV}} Steven Moreira<ref>{{cite news |title=Columbus Crew's Steven Moreira named 2024 MLS Defender of the Year |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/columbus-crew-s-steven-moreira-named-2024-mls-defender-of-the-year |publisher=Major League Soccer |date=November 13, 2024 |access-date=November 14, 2024}}</ref> |Columbus Crew | Jordi Alba Jackson Ragen |- |2025 |{{flagicon|USA}} Tristan Blackmon<ref>{{cite news |title=Vancouver Whitecaps FC's Tristan Blackmon named 2025 MLS Defender of the Year |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/vancouver-whitecaps-fc-s-tristan-blackmon-named-2025-mls-defender-of-the-year |publisher=Major League Soccer |date=October 28, 2025 |access-date=October 29, 2025}}</ref> |Vancouver Whitecaps FC | Kai Wagner Jakob Glesnes |}

== Wins by club == {| class="wikitable sortable" !Club !Wins |- |Columbus Crew |4 |- |Kansas City Wizards/Sporting KC |4 |- |Chicago Fire |3 |- |D.C. United |2 |- |LA Galaxy |2 |- |Nashville SC |2 |- |New England Revolution |2 |- |San Jose Clash/Earthquakes |2 |- |FC Cincinnati |1 |- |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 |- |FC Cincinnati |1 |- |Vancouver Whitecaps FC |1 |}

== Wins by nationality == {| class="wikitable sortable" !Nationality !Wins |- |{{USA}} | align="center" |25 |- |{{BEL}} | align="center" |1 |- |{{CPV}} | align="center" |1 |- |{{COL}} | align="center" |1 |- |{{CZE}} | align="center" |1 |- |{{NOR}} | align="center" |1 |- |{{POR}} | align="center" |1 |}

== References == {{reflist}}

Defender of the Year