MLS: Top 5 centre-backs in the league right now
By Matt Coles
There have been some wonderful players over the 25-year history of MLS, but who ranks in the top five of the current crop of centre-backs?
Here at MLS Multiplex, we have gone over the statistics, the awards won, the games played, the goals scored and the shutouts made to work out who we think are the best five players in the seven major positions in Major League Soccer right now.
We have already taken a look at the all-time lists, with the likes of Tony Meola, Preki and Landon Donovan taking top honours in their respective categories, to name but a few. We have also looked at the best current goalkeepers and full-backs with Stefan Frei and Ryan Hollingshead taking the spoils.
In this piece, we take a look at the best centre-backs who currently play in the league. The likes of Francisco Calvo, Frederic Brillant and Jack Elliott were all in fine fettle during the 2019 campaign, but who makes it into our top five?
5. Aaron Long
The first man to make our list of the best central defenders to currently play in Major League Soccer has been on a remarkable rise since joining the New York Red Bulls, Aaron Long.
Before going through the MLS SuperDraft process, Long spent four years at the University of California, playing for the Riverside Highlanders. He played 71 times for the college side, whilst also featuring for FC Tucson in the USL Premier Development League during those final two years.
MLS Career & Honours:
- Portland Timbers (2014)
- Seattle Sounders (2014)
- NY Red Bulls (2016-)
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- MLS Defender of the Year – 2018
- MLS Best XI – 2018
- CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI – 2019
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- Supporters’ Shield – 2018
Long was selected by the Portland Timbers with the 36th overall pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and was immediately sent on loan to their affiliate side Sacramento Republic in the USL Championship. He also spent time with Orange County Blues during the 2014 term, before being released by the Timbers. He then signed for Seattle, but again, did not play a single game for the first team, prior to joining Sounders 2 for the 2015 campaign.
The No.5 on our centre-backs list then joined New York Red Bulls II for the 2016 term and was a key component as the side won the USL Cup, with Long being named USL Defender of the Year after anchoring the side’s backline.
Having gone three years since being drafted, the American finally played his first match in Major League Soccer in 2017, and he has since gone on to become one of the best players in the league, especially at marshalling the troops at the back. This came after he had transitioned from a central midfielder when he came into the league following the SuperDraft. It worked for Long, as he has also gone on to captain the United States Men’s National Team since making his international debut in 2018. He is now a key part of the Red Bulls line-up, having played more than 80 times across the last three campaigns.
The 2018 term would be Long’s best in the league, as he was named MLS Defender of the Year for his performances, having featured in all 34 regular-season matches for the New York side, as they won the Supporters’ Shield. Along with his defensive work, Long also scored three times and recorded two assists that season, both career-highs.
He was also named into the Best XI for his work, before then going on to be named in the CONCACAF Gold Cup Best XI for his performances in the international tournament a year later, alongside team-mates Michael Bradley and Christian Pulisic. Long started all 24 of the regular-season matches he appeared in 2019 as the Red Bulls made it into the post-season once more, and he will continue to be a key piece for both club and country over the next few years.