No one likes to play against Minnesota United.
Erik Ramsay’s men make it hard on the opposition, no matter how many stars they throw at them. These 2025 Loons are built on an identity of firm defensive principles, swift and dangerous transitions and an irresistible array of set-pieces. This identity, adopted and bought-into squad-wide and adored by the club’s fans, has seen the St. Paul-based club become the toast of the Sicko-Ball Soccer Avant-Garde.
“There’s a bunch of ways to win football matches and our style of play is working for us,” said captain Michael Boxall, the New Zealand international who’s been with the club since 2017 when Minnesota United were more a punchline in MLS than multi-front title contenders.
“Everyone’s bought into our defensive identity,” added Boxall, who, in addition to being a ferocious defender and keen on-field organizer, is also the team’s long-throw-in specialist. “Everyone does the work in this team. Our strikers defend more than any strikers in the league, and that’s where it all starts.
The Loons, devoid of traditional stars, have landed in the Semifinals of the 2025 U.S. Open Cup, and, from a perch of second in MLS’ Western Conference, are firm contenders for a rare League-Cup double.
“You hear a lot of teams preach about keeping possession all day – controlling the ball,” added Boxall, who, along with Robin Lod, is a survivor from the MNUFC team that reached the Open Cup Final of 2019. “A lot of those teams are below us in the league table looking up.”
To Boxall’s point, exactly 13 teams in MLS’ West are now looking up at the Loons. And there’s plenty of former MLS Champions and flash-bang Superclubs among those admiring from below.
Minnesota United does it their way, and their way works. They pulled off a thrilling 3-1 win on the road over Western Conference leaders San Diego FC this weekend – the last league game before focus turns to the Open Cup Semifinal against Austin FC on Wednesday (LIVE at 8:30PM ET on Paramount+ and on air at CBS Sports Network). It was a comprehensive win – earned with five shots on target to San Diego’s 14 (6 shots to 28 overall) and half the possession of their hosts (33% to 67%).
“I totally understand why teams don’t like to play against us,” chuckled striker Kelvin Yeboah, who leads the team with three goals in this year’s Open Cup. “As a forward, I know very well how much defending we do as a team. There’s not a lot of space when you play against us. There’s no gaps, so it’s hard for the other team to be creative.
“We’re annoying, when you get the ball there’s a guy right on top of you,” said the Ghana-born Yeboah, enjoying his first year in MLS despite the long “tough winters” in Minnesota. “Sure, the other team can pass the ball around all day, back and forth, here and there, and then we just bite you in the ass!”
“Having this identity really binds us together,” added Yeboah. “If things aren’t going your way, you can fall back on those basics. It gives you confidence. It keeps you bound together.”
Togetherness. It’s a guiding concept very much on display in this MNUFC outfit. Being an outsider, who no one likes to play against, brings its own cohesiveness. But there’s something more to it. “We have players from all over the world – Africans, Americans, guys from Europe, a New Zealander – and we all get along so well,” said Yeboah. “It’s quite a surprise how well we’re all able to be on the same page about things.
“It’s kind of a mystery,” Yeboah said. “But it’s a good one.”
Julian Gressel, the German-born midfielder and 2017 Rookie of the Year who’s won pretty much everything there is to win in his nine years in MLS (MLS Cup, the Open Cup, a Supporter’s Shield), arrived at the club in April. And it’s taken him no time to swap the obvious starpower and improv of his previous club, Inter Miami FC, for the humble and unified theory alive in Minnesota.
“Sure we’re a little bit different than other teams, we like to throw wrinkles at our opponents and we’re not okay with just being okay,” said Gressel, who's keeping no secrets when he says “it’s great to be in a team that plays together, all as one, instead of having a few stars” who run the show. “We’re tough to beat, tough to break down, tough to score on – but we also create tons of shots and chances in ways that aren’t just moving the ball side to side forever with 50 passes.”
This one-for-all and all-for-one Minnesota United are just two wins away from lifting a first trophy in club history. They have the inside-track on the 2025 U.S. Open Cup playing the Semifinal against Austin FC at home at their Allianz Field. Should they win that, they’d host the Final there on October 1.
“I feel so lucky to have ended up where I am,” said the 37-year-old Boxall, who remembers the team’s first few years in the league when, playing at the University of Minnesota and finishing 19th and 18th in the league standings in 2017 and 2018 respectively, the fans never turned their back on the side. “It wasn’t the best place to watch or play back then, but we still had 19,000 or 20,000 every game.”
“There’s something special about the culture here,” Boxall went on. His teammate Yeboah is in total agreement: “The atmosphere in St. Paul is always amazing – the fans always bring the energy and they push you on and we want to make sure we do everything we can to bring something to them.”
Ask any pro and they’ll tell you how important, and just how rare, are the chances to lift a trophy. Minnesota United are touch-close and the feeling in the team is one of readiness to meet the moment. “We want to reward these fans and we’ve got work to do it if we want to have that chance.”
Fontela is editor-in-chief of usopencup.com. Follow him at @jonahfontela on X/Twitter.