Anthony Markanich

The Loons acquired defender Anthony Markanich from St. Louis CITY SC via trade in August 2024. Markanich joined Minnesota United after making 32 game appearances across all competitions with St. Louis CITY SC since the CITY side acquired the 24-year-old from the Colorado Rapids in August of 2023. The defender notably started and played all 90 minutes in the Concacaf Champions Cup First Round, Leg One match — an eventual 2–1 win over Houston Dynamo FC in February. After joining the Loons in the summer transfer window, Markanich made his MNUFC debut as a starter against Vancouver on October 5.

Markanich began his professional career in MLS after being selected by the Rapids in the first round of the 2022 MLS SuperDraft. He signed with Colorado and made his Major League Soccer debut on May 23, 2022, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 win over Seattle Sounders FC. In total with the Rapids, he made 17 game appearances across all competitions.

Markanich had a historic 2025 season, finishing the season as MLS' top-scoring defender and becoming the defender with the second-most goals (nine) in a single regular season after scoring a brace against Sporting Kansas City on October 4, trailing only Brek Shea’s league record of 11 goals set in 2014. Across 41 appearances (29 starts) in all competitions, he registered 13 goals and two assists. Of his 13 goals, nine were headers and eight came from set pieces. He also scored his first career MLS Playoff goal in Game 3 against Seattle Sounders FC to level the match at 3-3, eventually helping the Loons advance in a 7-6 penalty shootout victory. Markanich recorded two braces during the season, including his first on May 21 against his former club, St. Louis CITY SC, in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup to propel Minnesota into the Quarterfinals.

Collegiately, the defender played four seasons at Northern Illinois University and was a three-time First-Team All-MAC honoree. He made 67 appearances for the Huskies, scoring 17 goals and providing 24 assists, with his assist total tied for the second-most in program history.