I could take this Storylines opportunity to talk about Atlanta United’s struggles this season, or the return of Aziel Jackson, or any other number of topics relevant to the here and now. But as we approach our Year 10 Celebration Game, it feels appropriate to take a look through the history books and reflect on how far Minnesota United has come as a club over their decade in Major League Soccer. 

Ten years is a long time — 41.67% of my life, thanks for asking — and in that time the Loons have gone from a fledgling expansion team borrowing a stadium from the local university to a prolific club with an amazing fanbase and a permanent home in the heart of Midway. 

Let the Numbers Talk

I like words more than numbers, but every writer knows you sometimes have to let the statistics speak for themselves.

MLS stats back in 2017 weren’t quite as advanced as they are today, but good old FBref can tell us a thing or two. In their inaugural season, the Loons finished with 36 points, scored 47 goals, and conceded 70 — the highest goals-against tally in the league. The Black and Blue finished 19th out of a total 22 clubs, missing the playoffs, and weren’t much of a threat in the Western Conference.

But they were a new team, and taking some time to build up is to be expected (unless you’re 2025 San Diego FC). Two seasons later, the Loons finished fourth in the West, made the playoffs, and were the runners-up in the U.S. Open Cup (more on that shortly). The following year, they made it all the way to the Western Conference finals, and they’ve only missed the postseason a single time since. 

All that steady growth culminated in a record-shattering 2025. Minnesota United finished the regular season with 58 points and a 16-10-8 (WLD) record. They consistently played in front of a sold-out Allianz Field crowd of over 19,500, prevailed over Seattle in a pair of playoff penalty shootouts, and established themselves as one of the most daunting defensive clubs in the league. 

The club experienced some pretty major shifts over the offseason, with several veteran players leaving and a chance in the coaching staff. Despite the shake-up, the team has managed to put together a 6-6-7 record that’s kept Minnesota in the playoff discussion. With 15 games left in the regular season, the Loons are well positioned to keep playing meaningful soccer late into the year, provided they can keep building on this foundation. 

A few more stats for you number-hungry readers: Entering Wednesday, the Loons have scored 455 regular-season goals, rostered eight MLS All-Stars, earned six playoff berths, been led by three head coaches, called two stadiums home, and fostered one amazing fanbase that continues to bring the noise. All that adds up to something pretty awesome.

This Could Be Poetry

Now, let’s ditch those metrics and introduce a very specific benchmark the Loons might be able to use to measure their progress tomorrow night.

In the days of yore (2017), Minnesota United hosted their fellow expansion team Atlanta United in their first-ever MLS home game at then-named TCF Bank Stadium. We call this fateful day the Snow Opener, and though we tend to gloss over the result and remember the sheer glory of finally having a pro soccer team in Minnesota, the Loons did lose pretty dramatically. Atlanta prevailed 6-1.

Being in different conferences, the Loons have only gone head-to-head with Atlanta four times across all competitions. Minnesota has won two of those four, but both of their losses stand out as fairly memorable between the Snow Opener and the 2019 U.S. Open Cup finals match, where Atlanta came out on top in a narrow 2-1 win to thwart the closest the Loons have ever been to a trophy.

Don’t worry — I’m not just here to rehash bad memories. Despite their recent win against Red Bull New York, Atlanta United is not having a good season. In fact, they’ve been deeply struggling the last two years, finishing 29th out of 30 in the league last season and sitting in the very same spot right now. They’ve won just four games this year, and only one on the road. 

In general, the odds that tomorrow night ends with a five-goal deficit are pretty low, and in fact, Minnesota has a good chance of coming out on top. What better way to celebrate 10 years in MLS than hosting the first team to beat you on your home turf and sending them home without a point? I’m a sucker for cinematic parallels, and if the Black and Blue come through, this one might just take the cake.