Minnesota United’s MLS journey began on March 3, 2017. Loons legend Christian Ramirez scored the club’s first goal in a loss to the Timbers, but it wasn’t the scoreline that mattered most; it was the arrival. The likes of Kevin Molino, Francisco Calvo, and Rasmus Schüller were just a few of the names on Adrian Heath’s teamsheet in the club’s first dance in the top flight. The Boys in Black and Blue claimed their first MLS win against Real Salt Lake at TCF Bank Stadium, giving the home crowd their first taste of major league success. Holdovers from the NASL days connected the past to the future, with Miguel Ibarra, Brent Kallman, Justin Davis, Ibson, Kevin Venegas, Bernardo Añor, and Ramirez all carrying the torch from Blaine down to the Twin Cities proper.

The Loons’ second season in MLS was very similar to the first. A heavily rotated roster saw 12 transfers come in and 13 go out between the two transfer windows, along with SuperDraft picks (including Mason Toye), loans both in and out, and a generally new look for the Black and Blue. Darwin Quintero joined from Club América as the first Designated Player in club history, scoring 11 goals in his debut season. His July 4th hattrick remains one of the most impressive performances in club history, and served as a perfect summation of what made the Colombian forward a club legend. While the results didn’t change much from year one, the club turned a corner in 2018. With an increasingly solid foundation to build from, a breakout season was brewing.

This is where MNUFC really spread its wings for the first time. A legendary SuperDraft class included the likes of Hassani Dotson, Chase Gasper, and Dayne St. Clair, all of whom would go on to become key pieces in the club’s lineup. Transfer additions of Jan Gregus, Robin Lod, Ike Opara, Vito Mannone, Romain Métanire, and Ozzie Alonso gave the club one of the most well-rounded rosters in the league, and it showed. This marked the first year that the Loons really competed with the best in the league, highlighted by their run to the U.S. Open Cup Final and their first MLS Cup Playoff berth. By utilizing the experience of MLS veterans, talented international players, and some of the core members from the 2017 season, this Black and Blue side set a new standard for success.

After making serious strides forward in 2019, the Loons were primed to compete for a trophy in 2020. They won their first two matches of the season, scoring eight goals and conceding just three. Then, a global pandemic threw the world off of every established routine. When play resumed five months later, the Loons carried their early success into the fever dream that was the MLS is Back Tournament before ending the truncated regular season with a second-consecutive fourth-place finish in the Western Conference. Emanuel Reynoso took it from there, notching seven assists in just three games to power an exciting run to the Western Conference Final. The Loons suffered a tough loss to end the season, but not before establishing themselves as a legitimate presence in MLS.

After two years of forward motion, the Loons’ 2021 season went down as a stabilizing year. The additions of DP Adrien Hunou and midfield stalwart Wil Trapp marked only slight changes to a lineup that had proven itself extremely capable the year before. Emanuel Reynoso’s first full season in Minnesota saw his legend grow even larger, and with a more stable roster all-around, the club felt it had finally arrived as an MLS staple. While a fifth-place finish would have felt like a significant improvement just two years prior, the standard had been raised, leaving the Loons wanting more when they were bounced from the first round of the playoffs against Portland.

It was a jam-packed year for the Loons under the leadership of Adrian Heath. Emanuel Reynoso emerged as an MVP candidate in the midfield, while Dayne St. Clair earned himself the starting spot between the posts after an all-time showing against the New York Red Bulls. The Black and Blue trounced Premier League side Everton F.C. 4-0 in a friendly that grabbed international headlines. Minnesota hosted the MLS All-Star Game, with Emanuel Reynoso and Dayne St. Clair making appearances. And the Loons made it to the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, though they fell in the first round to FC Dallas in a penalty shootout.

The Loons missed the playoffs for the first time since 2018, shortly thereafter parting ways with Head Coach Adrian Heath and Technical Director Mark Watson. Khaled El-Ahmad was hired as Chief Soccer Officer and Sporting Director at the end of the year, marking a turning point for the club ahead of the 2024 season. Despite a disappointing finish to the season, 2023 brought with it a series of unforgettable moments, including a Leagues Cup run to quarterfinals (say hello to Leagues Cup Bongi), a four-goal game for Teemu Pukki, and a thrilling match that saw the Loons hand expansion side St. Louis CITY SC their very first MLS loss.

The Loons were down a head coach for the first three matches of the season, with Cameron Knowles running point as interim coach until Eric Ramsay’s hiring in February. In Ramsay’s first match in charge, the Black and Blue kicked things off on the right foot with a 2-0 victory over LAFC. Midseason signing Kelvin Yeboah contributed to a big win against Seattle in his debut, Minnesota destroyed St. Louis on Decision Day with a 4-1 victory at home, and the Loons made the playoffs as a six seed. They pulled off a thrilling pair of PK wins over Real Salt Lake in Round One and advanced to the conference semifinals, where they fell 6-2 on the road to LA Galaxy. Despite the loss, the late-season run to the Conference Semis was a demonstration of the team’s potential and a solid building block for the future.

Head Coach Eric Ramsay’s first full season in charge led to the development of a distinct, low-possession playstyle that leaned on Michael Boxall’s long throws, Joaquín Pereyra’s corner kicks, and Anthony Markanich’s flawless placement in the box, earning the team the moniker of “the most aggressive set piece in the world.” The Loons scored 22 goals off set piece play and established themselves as a major Western contender, even beating Lionel Messi and Inter Miami 4-1 on a historic day at Allianz Field. The boys made a deep run in the U.S. Open Cup before falling to Austin in extra time in the semifinals. Three Loons qualified for the World Cup: Dayne St. Clair, Michael Boxall, and Carlos Harvey. Minnesota finally put the Seattle curse to bed, beating the Sounders four times in one year with a season sweep and a pair of PK wins in Round One of the playoffs. The Loons finished with the best club record to date and again made it to the Western Conference Semifinals, where they fell 0-1 to conference-winning expansion side San Diego FC.