I don’t know about you, but it seems like these seasons just keep getting longer. Seriously, take a second to think about everything that happened this year. Over the span of 10 months, your Loons played 46 games, took part in three different competitions, and set more records than I care to count. We saw new faces score stunners, familiar names step up their game, and a style of play that took the league by storm. It was a good year to be Black and Blue.
Sure, we ended 2025 trophyless — a cruel outcome for such a promising season. But a season is not defined merely by its silverware. And in the journey toward the ultimate goal, one of the clearest marks of progress is sustainable performance. If any team in the league established a clear, consistent style of play this season, it was most certainly your Loons. With the season officially behind us, it’s about time for our annual look back at the year that was, wouldn’t you say? I spent the day looking through the archives to help us all relive what was an incredible year: take a breath, take my hand, and let’s do this thing. Down memory lane we go!
By the Precious Numbers
If this season was anything, it was statistically significant. Pick a performance metric (other than passing or possession), and your Loons likely either set a new club record or came close. Points? They set a new record high with 58. Wins? Another record with 16. And before I keep rattling off the impressive numbers, let’s pause to understand those two. With 16 wins and 10 draws, your Loons earned points in over 75% of their regular-season games this season. To put that in perspective, that’s the exact same percentage as Supporters’ Shield winners Philadelphia; not too shabby.
Fancy a long throw? The Black and Blue are happy to oblige. Your Loons led the league with 21 set-piece goals, establishing themselves as one of the most effective teams in the world from dead-ball situations. Whether it was from a Michael Boxall throw or a JoaquÃn Pereyra service, MNUFC proved to be one of the league’s most organized and deadly teams when the ball was sent into the box, and it wasn’t just a flash in the pan. They scored 56 goals in total, the second-highest total in club history (just two fewer than the all-time high of 58 in 2024).
Focusing on attacking output is always worthwhile, but for a team that was defined by its defensive discipline, it would be remiss of me to not spend time in the defensive third. Your Loons allowed their lowest goals-against tally since joining MLS (39), excluding the abbreviated 2020 season, of course (26). But, if you break that shortened season down, they still beat the goals allowed per game metric, posting an impressive rate of just 1.14 goals allowed per game (Philly led the league with 1.03).
Bear with me for a few more stats, won’t you? Add those impressive performances at either end of the pitch together, and you get one heck of a goal difference. Your Loons posted their best goal differential since joining MLS this season (+17), proving that success in one area of the pitch doesn’t have to take away from another. The Loons managed an eight-game unbeaten streak from March 1 against Montréal to their April 27 loss to Vancouver. On top of that, they never lost back-to-back league games, showcasing a resilience and professionalism that made them extremely difficult to beat.
Despite playing a style of soccer that often ceded possession to the opponent, the Loons proved to be more effective than ever before. By unifying their game plan around clear directives, the Black and Blue were able to get the most out of a talented squad, producing a season to remember packed with moments that brought us all to our feet.
Moments for the Memory
Alright, leave the numbers behind you; let’s get into the exciting stuff. I’m talking about the goals, saves, and results that you were talking about for weeks. Heck, you might still be talking about some of these. And what’s the best way to talk about big moments? Yes, exactly: a ranking. Without further ado, here are my personal top five moments of MNUFC’s 2025 season, plus an extra:
Honorable Mention: Darius Randell becomes youngest goalscorer in club history
The road to the U.S. Open Cup Semifinal started with a Round of 32 win against Louisville City SC of the USL Championship, and it was a match that saw the youngin’s step up. With a host of MNUFC2 regulars and first-team subs getting a chance to prove themselves, hometown kid Darius Randell stepped up, scoring a goal in his MNUFC debut to become the youngest goalscorer in club history. The young forward would go on to sign a first-team contract before year’s end, and this moment shows just how much it all means to him. I’m not crying; you are.
5) Nectarios Triantis scores from midfield in his debut match
Not a bad way to start life as a Loon, huh? When Nectarios Triantis joined the Loons from Sunderland, it was his defensive capabilities that stood out most in the scouting reports. He used his first minutes of Black and Blue action to prove that he’s much more than just a defensive presence, letting fly against San Diego to score one of MNUFC’s two goal-of-the-year contenders in 2025.
4) Dayne St. Clair wins Goalkeeper of the Year
Pick a game; Dayne St. Clair probably made a crucial save. With a personal best of 10 clean sheets in 2025, a league-leading 79.9% save percentage, and a staggering 111 total saves, DSC outdid himself this season. A second All-Star selection wasn’t enough recognition when it was all said and done. Goalkeeper of the Year and MLS Best XI? That sounds more like it to me.
3) Bangers Only against SKC
One last time for the people in the back: Bangers only. Hassani Dotson opened the scoring for the Loons down in SKC this season with one of the best goals you’ll ever see, living up to his reputation. Watch it once, twice, maybe a hundred times. I promise you, it doesn’t get old. Thanks for everything, Hassani. Bangers forever.
2) Loons beat Miami 4-1 at Allianz Field
How elegant! Yes, it was just a regular-season game. It only gave the Loons three points, and the year went on. But take a step back from that competitive mindset for a moment. Allianz Field hosted one of the greatest athletes in human history, and not only did your Loons win, they showed that they had what it takes to compete with the best of the best. This game sent a message: there’s something special happening in Minnesota soccer.
1) Loons Win Wild Game 3 Against Seattle
The postseason run may not have gone on as long as the Black and Blue faithful may have liked, but no one can ever take this moment from us. After an exhilarating Round One matchup against one of the club’s historically most difficult opponents, your Loons came out on top in what was undoubtedly one of the greatest games in club history, giving them a spot in the Western Conference Semi-Finals for the second year in a row.
Could I have included the fact that the Loons swept Seattle in the regular season for the first time? Sure. Could I have mentioned each of Wil Trapp’s two goals? That was an unforgivable oversight on my part. Come to think of it, I missed Boxy’s first-ever MLS All-Star selection, didn’t I? Wow, the longer you look back, the less sufficient a top five list starts to feel.
Perhaps there aren’t any trophies to add to the trophy case after 2025, but you’d have to ignore a whole lot of facts to say that the Loons had a bad year. No matter how you measure success, whether that’s through stats, vibes, or kit quality (hello, Heritage Kit), your Loons didn’t just take steps forward this season; they set new standards for the years to come. No matter what’s next, one thing is for sure: the floor has been raised. Let’s see just how far that ceiling can go.