MLS has hosted top European icons like Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in their later years. The list of the best MLS defenders includes Alexi Lalas, Eddie Pope, and Chad Marshall. Former Premier League stars Liam Ridgewell and Carlos Bocanegra also make the list.
The Major Soccer League (MLS) has seen some of Europe's top talent during the back end of their years, as the United States' top-flight division has been host to some of football's biggest icons, with Lionel Messi , Sergio Busquets , Giorgio Chiellini and Luis Suarez the most iconic names residing in the USA. Having previously been home to superstars such as David Beckham , Zlatan Ibrahimovic , Thierry Henry , and Wayne Rooney , the defenders of the MLS have some pretty capable attackers to fend off on a regular basis. With that in mind, here are some of the best defenders to have ever graced the MLS, and regardless of the many top imports from Europe, this list is still largely comprised of players from the United States.
Achievements Individual awards MLS legacy Defensive ability From David Beckham to Cobi Jones, here are 10 of the best MLS midfielders of all time. 10 Liam Ridgewell Starting off this list with a name familiar to Premier League fans for his time spent at Birmingham City , Aston Villa , and West Bromwich Albion , Liam Ridgewell spent five years out in the United States, racking up 97 appearances for the Portland Timbers, winning the MLS Cup, and scoring six goals. Ridgewell was also part of the team that qualified for the Western Conference finals in 2015, and despite never winning any personal accolades, was a consistently strong defender in his time in the MLS.
Liam Ridgwell's Club Statistics Appearances 482 Goals 27 Assists 15 Trophies 2 9 Michael Parkhurst While not being blessed with the physical capabilities to dominate in the air and usher off attackers with his size, standing at 5'11, Michael Parkhurst was forced to be a smarter footballer to play as a centre-back, reading the flight of the ball to position himself correctly for crosses and understanding the art of defending. Furtherly, Parkhurst was also deployed in either full-back role during his career and was technically astute, playing out from the back with precision, making him not only a great defender but a top distributor too. He would guide the New England Revolution and Columbus Crew to the MLS Cup final, where he would unfortunately lose; however, in the 2017/18 campaign with Atlanta United, he managed to win it at his third attempt.
He also won the 2007 MLS Defender of the Year award and won two US Open Cups during his career. Michael Parkurst's Club Statistics Appearances 473 Goals 5 Assists 18 Trophies 6 As the 2024 summer transfer season rolls on, here's a list of out-of-contract players who could be a great fit with the right MLS club. 8 Marcelo Balboa Despite being aged 30 when the MLS was formed in 1996, Marcelo Balboa would go on to put a stamp on the league as one of the division's most unconventional centre-backs of all time in his stint with the Colorado Rapids.
When thinking about the role of a defender, usually the first thing that springs to mind is defending. However, Balboa did not quite get the memo, as he would use every chance he could to get forward and affect games, scoring just shy of every six appearances in the MLS. He was the United States' footballer of the year in 1992 and 1994, and despite never winning any team honours, was named in the league's All-Time XI in 2005.
Marcelo Balboa's Club Statistics Appearances 169 Goals 24 Assists 11 Trophies 0 7 Jimmy Conrad Now known for the content that he publishes online and for his gaming, one might forget that Jimmy Conrad was a great defender in his day, locking down attackers for 13 years in the MLS. Playing for the San Jose Earthquakes, Kansas City Wizards, and Chivas USA during his career, he became an MLS Champion in the 2000/01 campaign and a US Open Cup winner. He was also included in the MLS Best XI on four occasions and won the MLS Defender of the Year in 2005, while earning 27 caps for the United States national team and featuring in the 2006 World Cup .
Jimmy Conrad's Club Statistics Appearances 313 Goals 20 Assists 6 Trophies 2 Several England superstars have swapped the European chaos for luxury on the other side of the pond in the MLS. 6 Alexi Lalas Next up is a player that American football fans will know very well; whether for his outstanding performances or his controversial analysis at times, there is no doubt that Alexi Lalas was a phenomenal centre-back during his MLS days. Present at the beginning of the formation of the league, Lalas would go on to have a successful run with Los Angeles Galaxy (LA Galaxy), winning a CONCACAF Champions Cup, MLS Cup, Supporters' Shield, and the US Open Cup.
Having a reputation for being a strong leader who was an effective marker and one-on-one defender, Lalas would gain himself a place in the best XI of 2002 and became one of the most iconic names to ever come out of the MLS, and for that iconic hair alone, must make our list. Alexi Lalas' Club Statistics Appearances 241 Goals 19 Assists 9 Trophies 4 5 Omar Gonzalez Being the only present-day MLS player to make this list at the time of writing, FC Dallas centre-back Omar Gonzalez is now in his second stint in the league after spending three years in Mexico's Liga MX. Despite still being a top defender in the division, his first spell was undoubtedly his most illustrious, featuring for the LA Galaxy 223 times, winning three MLS Cups, and two Supporters' Shields.
In this time, he also managed to attain the MLS Rookie of the Year in 2009, Defender of the Year in 2011, and was elected as part of the best XI on four occasions (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014). Since returning, he has not hit the same heights as before he left, playing for Toronto FC and England New Revolution before joining Dallas in 2024, winning no personal or team accolades. Omar Gonzelez's Club Statistics Appearances 472 Goals 27 Assists 19 Trophies 7 The MLS has had countless well-known names feature, but some are more forgotten than others.
4 Carlos Bocanegra A name that is potentially more recognisable to European football fans having competed in the Premier League for Fulham and in Ligue 1 for Rennes and Saint-Ettiene, Carlos Bocanegra played in the MLS at the beginning and end of his career, but despite his lack of minutes compared to some of the other players in this list, he certainly made his impact. Being crowned the MLS Rookie of the Year in 2000, he would also go on to lift the US Open Cup in the 2002/03 season and became the first player to ever receive back-to-back Defender of the Year awards. Bocanegra would also captain the United States of America in the 2010 World Cup and lift two Gold Cups with his national side.
Carlos Bocanegra's Club Statistics Appearances 450 Goals 23 Assists 14 Trophies 1 3 Robin Fraser Next on this list was a late bloomer in the MLS. Robin Fraser featured in the league's first-ever season at the age of 29, but that did not stop the Jamaican-born centre-back from having a lengthy spell in the league. He played for 10 seasons while winning two Defender of the Year awards and appearing in the Best XI of the season five times, which is a record for defenders alongside Walker Zimmerman.
Fraser would win the Supporters' Shield twice in his career with two different clubs, once for LA Galaxy and the other for Columbus Crew. Robin Fraser's Club Statistics Appearances 293 Goals 3 Assists 2 Trophies 2 Who are the most expensive transfers in MLS History? Both Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez don't feature in our list. 2 Eddie Pope Playing for D.
C. United, the MetroStars (now called the New York Red Bulls), and Real Salt Lake , Eddie Pope would terrorise MLS attackers week-in-week-out, using his incredible athleticism to match attackers in every way. If you wanted to have a running race with him, he would be quicker.
If you wanted to physically battle with him, he'd be stronger. Pope also could read the game well too, and could also be seen venturing forward further than what other defenders would dare, scoring two title-winning goals in the MLS Cup and the 1998 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Claiming all of his club medals at D.
C. United, Pope also won two additional MLS Cups, two Supporters' Shields, and a US Open Cup. Eddie Pope's Club Statistics Appearances 293 Goals 13 Assists 5 Trophies 7 1 Chad Marshall Undoubtedly number one on this list is the MLS legend who played for the Columbus Crew and Seattle Sounders, Chad Marshall.
Displaying quality and consistency during his playing days, the centre-back became the league's best defender, winning the Defender of the Year award on three occasions, the only player to ever achieve that feat. Defensively astute and composed on the ball, Marshall would lock the door on the opposition and proved to be a reliable distributor from the backline. He would go on to be a three-time MLS Cup champion and a four-time Community Shield Cup winner, while also claiming the US Open Cup once.
Chad Marshall's Club Statistics Appearances 459 Goals 31 Assists 15 Trophies 8 All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt. Correct as of 08.08.
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