This article was written after recording The Designated Pundits‘ Minnesota United preview for the 2026 MLS Season with special guest Dan from “The Loony Bin.” You can find that video on Spotify below.
2025 Recap
Minnesota United finished the 2025 season in 4th place in the Western Conference, although the season would be better defined as turbulent. Their semifinal loss to Austin FC in the US Open Cup was one of the upsets of the tournament, while their 1st round playoff win was an MLS first. Minnesota drew the first and third game against Seattle, while losing the second. However, both draws ended in penalty wins, advancing Minnesota to the second round.
Minnesota lost a lot of offense trading away Tani Oluwaseyi in late August to Villarrea (pictured right)l. Kelvin Yeboah, his replacement, was never quite able to stay healthy and get rolling. He finished with around 2,000 minutes and only 9 goals.
Another oddity, Minnesota took more deep free kicks and long throw-ins of any professional soccer team in the top 30 leagues. They loved set pieces and counter attacking soccer.
Transactions
Minnesota United lost solid players like midfielders Hassani Dotson and Robin Lod, as well as defender Kip Keller. The biggest loss, however, would be Dayne St. Clair (left), Canada’s first choice goalkeeper and one of the best between the sticks in MLS.
The Loons brought in a few MLS veterans like former RBNY midfielder and utility piece Peter Stroud, as well as Charlotte FC goalkeeper Drake Callender. They had two interesting left wing signings in Mauricio Gonzalez from Tolima and Thomas Chancalay from the New England Revolution.
Mauricio Gonzalez had options overseas, and was a bit of a long shot to land in MLS. Chancalay is an incredibly talented Argentinian who never played more than 1,500 minutes in his 8 professional seasons. If he stays healthy, Minnesota is hoping he can become the game changer he couldn’t become as New England’s Designated Player.
Depth Chart
Minnesota United seems to be headed towards a 4-3-3, finally backing away from the 3/5 man backline from years passed. This will force the fullbacks into more defensive roles, while freeing up the wingers for the attack.
We already mentioned the battle on the left wing, but on the right we expect to see Bongi Hlongwane returning to a more natural attacking role. That could be huge for Minnesota in 2026.
The midfield should play true #10, #8, and #6 roles, as outlined below.
Overall, the roster got younger but still has old stalwarts like Wil Trapp and Michael Boxall (right) projected as starters. There are both depth and serious upside on this roster.
Questions
- Which player outside the starting 11 has the best chance to win a starting job?
- Peter Stroud. He plays multiple positions and can step in with any midfield absence.
- What are realistic expectations for 2026?
- Minnesota should be challenging for a home playoff match.
- What are some storylines to follow throughout the season?
- Can Minnesota draw big names? They wanted to bring in more players but with the current political climate, including the presence of ICE law enforcement, rumor is that multiple players opted to avoid the Loons.
- What styles will this team match up well against?
- This is a tough answer because of the system change. Generally it is teams that hold possession and leave themselves open for counters. This season, it is just a guess.
- What styles will this team match up poorly against?
- They had under 40% possession last season, so they looked lost when they had control of the ball.
- Which player improved the most in 2026?
- Owen Gene. He is the other true #6, and could get more playing time with Wil Trapp’s age.
- Which player regresses in 2026?
- Anthony Markanich. If he plays fullback and not wingback, he probably has a hard road to another 10 goal contribution season.
Hear more, and follow along as I preview all 30 MLS teams before kickoff of the 2026 season!
YouTube- youtube.com/@thedesignatedpundits
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Bob Ventimiglia is a leading soccer podcaster and handicapper, renowned for his sharp analysis and consistent success at the soccer sportsbook.
As a founding member and MLS expert on the BetUS MLS Show, he earned “Capper of the Week” honors four times during his debut season.
Now, he is producer for “The Designated Pundits” MLS podcast and “The High Impact Pundits” NWSL podcast.
💸 BetUS TV MLS Expert (4x Capper of the Week)
📝 Member- North American Soccer Reporters
