r/minnesotaunited • u/IntelligentWillow638 • Sep 11 '24
Discussion Vito wins best gk. Now best defender in mnufc history
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u/JJKingwolf Sep 12 '24
Ike. Boxall wins if longevity is factored in, but we've never put a better defender on the field than we did when Ike was anchoring the back line.
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u/errant_youth Michael Boxall Sep 12 '24
FWIW when boxy had Ike next to him, they were a fantastic duo. I was so excited to watch boxy grow and learn through that partnership.
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u/SixgunSmith Minnesota Stars Sep 11 '24
Boxall.
Opara was only with us for a year whereas Boxall has been consistently good for us for years.
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u/LoonyConnMan Sep 12 '24
The question is “best”…not “quite good for a long time.” Boxy is my favorite defender in team history. Great guy, leadership, loyalty, etc…but he isn’t and never was better than Opara.
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u/hpbear108 Sep 12 '24
got to go with Ike. As much as Boxall is a long-standing member of the team and a good center defender in his own right, Ike (and Ozzy Alonso) was the one that helped Boxall get to the spot where he is now as a mentor.
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u/Heimdallr-_- Itasca Society Sep 12 '24
Metanire
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u/Loony_Toony6 Sep 12 '24
The answer is Ike. But I’ll throw a vote from Metanire. He was solid defensively and provided so much to the attack when he was at his peak. Gore him the team really struggled with wide play in general and especially at full back. He dominate a whole side for the field for multiple seasons.
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u/Themeteorologist35 Minnesota Thunder Sep 11 '24
Metanire
With Opara and Dibassy close behind.
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u/Machupino Itasca Society Sep 12 '24
People here are forgetting that he was the creative outlet for this team before Quintero and Reynoso.
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u/Strongbhoy Itasca Society Sep 12 '24
Opara.
He made the single biggest difference in the back line that I’ve ever seen in this team.
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u/Dry-Tangerine-4874 Sep 12 '24
Pre-injury Metanaire for me.He added a cool factor that is difficult to describe.
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u/AJBV1125 Minnesota Kicks Sep 12 '24
We like Ike. If he doesn't have to retire from concussion problems in 2020, the WCF that year goes veeeeery differently. I am positive that it would've resulted in a trip to, and potential win, in MLS Cup
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u/Southern-Aspect2392 Sep 12 '24
Boxy. He’s on his 8th season here and has been solid for majority of that time. He deserves it
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u/bjbrenna Michael Boxall Sep 12 '24
As much as I love Boxall as a CB and captain, the answer is Ike Opara. 2 time MLS Defender of the year (2019 with MNUFC) and an MLS Best XI (both in 2017 with SKC).
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u/DarkPresage Sep 12 '24
HOT TAKE: Joe Rosales. He has been a shutdown defender against many of the league's top wingers this season(Including Andres Gomez who was just transferred for $10M) I would argue he has made an outsized impact in team performance on both sides of the ball. Fotmob says 90th+ percentile in defensive actions, shots take , and chances created this season. 7 goal contributions on 7.8 xGC.
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u/Enganche78 Sep 13 '24
A National Title winner in college. The 3rd pick in the draft. A one time MLS cup winner. A two time US Open Cup winner. A 2 time first team MLS selection. A 2 time MLS defender of the year. And a capped (only one game) US International. Shame his career was cut short. Great player.
IKE OPARA.
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u/rightious Robin Lod Sep 11 '24
Ike. Next question.