View source for 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 (soccer, born 1966)|John Doyle]] won the inaugural award with the [[San Jose Clash]] for the [[1996 Major League Soccer season|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|[[United States men's national soccer team|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 Major League Soccer season|1996]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[John Doyle (soccer, born 1966)|John Doyle]]
|[[San Jose Clash]]
|
|- 
|[[1997 Major League Soccer season|1997]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Eddie Pope]] 
|[[D.C. United]]
|
|- 
|[[1998 Major League Soccer season|1998]]
|{{flagicon|CZE}} [[Luboš Kubík]]
|[[Chicago Fire FC|Chicago Fire]]
|
|- 
|[[1999 Major League Soccer season|1999]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Robin Fraser]]
|[[LA Galaxy|Los Angeles Galaxy]]
|
|- 
|[[2000 Major League Soccer season|2000]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Peter Vermes]]
|[[Sporting Kansas City|Kansas City Wizards]]
|
|- 
|[[2001 Major League Soccer season|2001]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Jeff Agoos]]
|[[San Jose Earthquakes]]
|
|- 
|[[2002 Major League Soccer season|2002]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Carlos Bocanegra]]
|[[Chicago Fire FC|Chicago Fire]]
|
|- 
|[[2003 Major League Soccer season|2003]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Carlos Bocanegra]] (2)
|[[Chicago Fire FC|Chicago Fire]]
|
|- 
|[[2004 Major League Soccer season|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]] <br> [[Eddie Pope]]
|- 
|[[2005 Major League Soccer season|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]]
|[[Sporting Kansas City|Kansas City Wizards]]
| [[Danny Califf]] <br> [[Tyrone Marshall]]
|-
|[[2006 Major League Soccer season|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]] <br> [[Jose Burciaga]]
|-
|[[2007 Major League Soccer season|2007]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Michael Parkhurst]]
|[[New England Revolution]]
|
|-
|[[2008 Major League Soccer season|2008]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/conrad-lopez-finalists-year-end-awards|title=Conrad, Lopez finalists for year-end awards &#124; MLSSoccer.com|website=mlssoccer}}</ref>
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Chad Marshall]]
|[[Columbus Crew]]
| [[Jimmy Conrad]] <br> [[Bakary Soumare]]
|- 
|[[2009 Major League Soccer season|2009]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Chad Marshall]] (2)
|[[Columbus Crew]]
|
|- 
|[[2010 Major League Soccer season|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]] <br> [[Nat Borchers]]
|- 
|[[2011 Major League Soccer season|2011]]
| {{Flagicon|USA}} [[Omar Gonzalez]]
| [[LA Galaxy|Los Angeles Galaxy]]
| [[Jámison Olave]] <br> [[Nat Borchers]] <br> [[Carlos Valdés (footballer)|Carlos Valdés]]
|- 
|[[2012 Major League Soccer season|2012]]
| {{flagicon|USA}} [[Matt Besler]]
| [[Sporting Kansas City]]
| [[Víctor Bernárdez]] <br> [[Aurélien Collin]] <br> [[Jay DeMerit]]
|- 
|[[2013 Major League Soccer season|2013]]
| {{flagicon|POR}} [[José Gonçalves (footballer)|José Gonçalves]]
| [[New England Revolution]]
| [[Matt Besler]] <br> [[Omar Gonzalez]] <br> [[Jámison Olave]]
|- 
|[[2014 Major League Soccer season|2014]]
|{{Flagicon|USA}} [[Chad Marshall]] (3)
|[[Seattle Sounders FC]]
| [[Bobby Boswell]] <br> [[Omar Gonzalez]] <br>  [[Michael Parkhurst]]
|- 
|[[2015 Major League Soccer season|2015]]
|{{flagicon|BEL}} [[Laurent Ciman]]<ref name="mlsfef"/>
|[[CF Montréal|Montreal Impact]]
| [[Kendall Waston]] <br> [[Matt Hedges]] <br> [[Matt Miazga]]
|- 
|[[2016 Major League Soccer season|2016]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Matt Hedges]]<ref name="auto"/>
|[[FC Dallas]]
| [[Jelle Van Damme]] <br> [[Axel Sjöberg]] <br> [[Walker Zimmerman]] <br>  [[Steve Birnbaum]]
|- 
|[[2017 Major League Soccer season|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]] <br> [[Kendall Waston]] <br> [[Leandro González Pírez]] <br> [[Matt Besler]]
|-
|[[2018 Major League Soccer season|2018]]
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Aaron Long (soccer)|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]] <br> [[Michael Parkhurst]] <br> [[Leandro González Pírez]] <br> [[Kemar Lawrence]]
|-
|[[2019 Major League Soccer season|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]] <br> [[Miles Robinson (soccer)|Miles Robinson]] <br> [[Maxime Chanot]] <br> [[Eddie Segura]] <br> [[Aaron Long (soccer)|Aaron Long]]
|-
|[[2020 Major League Soccer season|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 (soccer, born 1999)|Mark McKenzie]] <br> [[Jonathan Mensah]] <br> [[Anton Tinnerholm]] <br> [[Chris Mavinga]] <br> [[Richie Laryea]]
|-
|[[2021 Major League Soccer season|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]] <br> [[Miles Robinson (soccer)|Miles Robinson]] <br> [[Andreu Fontàs]] <br> [[DeJuan Jones]] 
|-
|[[2022 Major League Soccer season|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]] <br> [[Alexander Callens]]
|-
|[[2023 Major League Soccer season|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 (soccer)|Tim Parker]] <br> [[Yeimar Gómez Andrade]]
|-
|[[2024 Major League Soccer season|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]] <br> [[Jackson Ragen]]
|-
|[[2025 Major League Soccer season|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]] <br> [[Jakob Glesnes]]
|}

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

{{MLS Defender of the Year}}
{{MLS awards}}

[[Category:Major League Soccer trophies and awards|Defender of the Year]]