You voted, and the best of the best from Minnesota United’s 10-season tenure in Major League Soccer have come together to form the Team of the Decade. It’s like the Avengers, only instead of keeping the aliens out of New York, they’re crushing it on a metaphorical playing field of ambiguous, unnamed opponents. (Not that these guys couldn’t save New York. I would pay big money to see that, actually.)
Since we’ve got so much to say about these 16 superstars, we’re splitting up our odes of valor and glory by position, starting with the back line that’s defined so much of the Loons’ club identity (plus the goalkeeper, because he counts). Without further ado, here are your defensive heroes.
Dayne St. Clair
STARTING IN GOAL, FROM PICKERING, ONTARIO… man, don’t you miss hearing that? Dayne St. Clair is nothing short of a Loons legend, leading the club by a wide margin in saves (448) and clean sheets (37) and bagging the 2025 Goalkeeper of the Year award. After Minnesota United picked him seventh in the SuperDraft way back in the ancient days of 2019 (I’m allowed to say that because I was still in high school), he spent some time on loan before being called in to man the net in a 4-0 shutout over Real Salt Lake. From there, he kept his starting spot for the final four games of 2021, then quickly re-earned the starting job three games in 2022 after a record-setting eight-save performance against the New York Red Bulls. After that, he never really stopped. He’s the longest-tenured goalkeeper in the history of the club, and he made the MLS All-Star team in 2022 and 2025. Rumor has it that if you stand in the center of an empty Allianz Field, you can still hear the chants of “D! S! C!” echoing…
Anthony Markanich
The man, the myth, the highest scoring defender in the world (according to that one guy, that one time). Anthony Markanich joined the Loons from St. Louis CITY in 2024, a choice I’m sure they’ve deeply regretted on many occasions, not least of which was when his brace knocked them out of the U.S. Open Cup last year. Since coming to the Black and Blue, he’s established himself as a powerhouse wingback with a knack for set piece headers. He’s tallied 16 goals across all competitions, four of them this season, making him the club’s second-highest scorer of the 2026 campaign so far. This man doesn't just defend — he’s up and down the field faster than you can say his name, seamlessly shifting in and out of the attack to combine with the entire squad to create overloads and opportunities. His place as left back in the Team of the Decade makes all too much sense, and I for one can’t wait to see what he does next.
Michael Boxall
Inarguably the Loon of the Decade, our beloved captain has been with Minnesota United since the club’s MLS debut in 2017. To date, Michael Boxall has logged 21,962 minutes repping the Black and Blue, and that’s only counting the regular season. That’s over two straight weeks of soccer. In 21,962 minutes, you could play Bohemian Rhapsody 3,711 times, or watch Star Wars: A New Hope 181 times in full. Suffice it to say, this center back has given a huge part of his life to the Loons, logging well over 800 clearances in his 275+ appearances for the club.
Recently, his long throw-ins have become synonymous with Minnesota’s set-piece-heavy playstyle, his ability to hold down the fort in any formation makes him both versatile and consistent, and his years of unshakable leadership made him a shoo-in for the role of Team of the Decade captain (and MLS All-Star in 2025). He’ll rep New Zealand on the global stage this summer, a staple of the back line for the All Whites just like he is for the Black and Blue.
Ike Opara
Joining Minnesota in 2019 after six seasons with Sporting Kansas City, Ike Opara bagged the MLS Defender of the Year award in his very first season with the Black and Blue and earned a spot in the MLS Best XI, making the million-dollar deal in his name well worth it. He established his place in MNUFC history in just two seasons, slotting into the back line beside Boxy to create a veritable brick wall in front of goal. For a side that struggled defensively in its initial two seasons in the league, the turnaround Opara helped engineer was monumental. Minnesota fans saw for the first time what a truly confident, consistent back line could do as the club qualified for the postseason for the first time.
Romain Métanire
And to finish off the best back line in Minnesota United history: ladies and gentlemen, Romain Métanire. He originally came to Major League Soccer from France’s Ligue 1, becoming the first Malagasy player in the league in 2019. The right back helped the club to the U.S. Open Cup finals in 2019 and the MLS Conference Finals in 2020, and also repped the Loons as an MLS All-Star in 2019 against Atlético Madrid. His playstyle was marked by a combination of speed and ball progression, as he served as the perpetual connector up and down the right flank, racking up assists and getting back to his third in time to create problems for the opposing attack. Métanire also logged 131 clearances in over 6,000 minutes, proving his defensive acumen alongside his undeniable attacking prowess.
There you have it, folks: Minnesota United’s all-time best back line. Stay tuned throughout the break as we cover the midfielders, forwards, and bench players you voted to join this historic lineup.
