Real Salt Lake
| Clubname | Real Salt Lake |
| Image |  |
| Upright | 0.65 |
| Nickname | Claret and Cobalt |
| Short Name | RSL |
| Stadium | America First Field Sandy, Utah |
| Capacity | 20,213 |
| Owntitle | Owners |
| Owner | Miller Sports + Entertainment (Gail Miller) (majority) David Blitzer (minority) |
| Mgrtitle | Head coach |
| Manager | Pablo Mastroeni |
| League | Major League Soccer |
| Season | 2025 |
| Website | rsl.com |
| American | true |
| Current | 2026 Real Salt Lake season |
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Real Salt Lake (RSL) is an American professional soccer club based in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club competes in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Western Conference. Founded in 2004, the club began play in 2005 as an expansion team.
The club plays its home games at America First Field, a soccer-specific stadium located in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy, Utah, which they shared with their sister team, Utah Royals FC. Before moving to America First Field, RSL previously played home games at Rice-Eccles Stadium, located on the campus of the University of Utah, from 2005 to 2007. The team is currently led by head coach Pablo Mastroeni.
In domestic soccer, Real Salt Lake won the 2009 MLS Cup, and they finished as runners-up in the Supporters Shield in 2010 and the 2013 editions of both the U.S. Open Cup and MLS Cup. The club additionally finished runners-up in the 2010-11 CONCACAF Champions League, becoming the first American club to do so during the tournament's group stage format. Their fully owned USL affiliate, Real Monarchs, won the USL Championship, the second division in American soccer, in 2019.
Name
The Spanish title Real (reˈal), meaning "royal" in English, has been used since the early 20th century by Spanish soccer clubs who have received royal patronage from a reigning monarch — most notably Madrid, Zaragoza, Betis and Sociedad. In choosing the name Real for the Salt Lake-based team, initial owner Dave Checketts intended to create a brand name that would become well-known for its simplicity, followed the European-style naming conventions of the league, and would potentially foster a partnership with Real Madrid — admired both because of their successful soccer history and close association with basketball (similar to Checketts' own history with Utah's NBA team).
The new team's name was initially met with mixed feelings, with the name being accused of contrivance. Other suggested team names, such as "Highlanders", "Salt Lake SC", or "Union SLC", were initially preferred for the club by locals. However, by at least 2014, reaction to the name had drastically improved, with the team establishing an identity representative of the Salt Lake community.
History
Early years (2005–2008)
Real Salt Lake became the twelfth MLS team when Major League Soccer awarded an expansion franchise on July 14, 2004, to SCP Worldwide, headed by Dave Checketts. United States U-17's coach John Ellinger was named as the initial manager of the club, with forward Jason Kreis becoming the club's first player. RSL began play on April 2, 2005, in a match against the MetroStars at Giants Stadium that ended as a scoreless draw; Kreis would score the team's first ever goal the following game on the road against the LA Galaxy. The club's first ever home match, and victory, would occur on April 16 in front of 25,287 fans at Rice-Eccles Stadium, with defender Brian Dunseth securing a victory over Rocky Mountain Cup rival Colorado Rapids.
However, both the 2005 and 2006 seasons would prove to be relative disappointments for the club. Despite strong performances from key players Kreis, Eddie Pope, Andy Williams, and Jeff Cunningham, RSL would embark on a 10-game losing streak in the former and an 18-game winless run in the latter, finishing each season among the worst teams in the league.
The 2007 season began with the club making moves for veteran talent to build around, most notably bringing in goalkeeper Nick Rimando and midfielder Kyle Beckerman pre-season. However, following continued poor form, Ellinger was fired in May and unexpectedly replaced as head coach by Kreis, who immediately retired as a player to take the role.
The 2008 season saw the club begin to achieve successes, finishing with an even record and qualifying for the MLS Playoffs for the first time. The season additionally saw the opening of America First Field, a soccer-specific stadium for the club in Sandy. The club advanced past Chivas USA in the first round of the playoffs before losing to the New York Red Bulls in the Western Conference final.
MLS and CONCACAF success (2009–2012)
The 2009 season saw the club post a near-perfect home record to propel itself into a playoff-qualification battle, won on the final day against the Colorado Rapids. Seeded as the lowest Eastern Conference team (due to the playoff format of the time), RSL progressed through the playoffs to the 2009 MLS Cup, where they defeated the LA Galaxy in a penalty shootout to win their first championship.
As defending champions, RSL proved to have its best season to date in 2010, posting a 25 game unbeaten streak and home and zero losses at home on the way to a second-place finish in the MLS Supporters Shield standings. Rimando finished as the league's best goalkeeper, with Olave named as MLS Defender of the Year and newly acquired forward Álvaro Saborío establishing himself as a primary goal scorer. The group stages of the Champions League saw the club finish first.
The remainder of the 2011 season saw an end to the home unbeaten streak at 29 games, but successful re-qualifications to both the playoffs and CONCACAF Champions League. This was followed by a second-place Western Conference finish in 2012, as well as a group-stage elimination in the 2012-13 CONCACAF Champions League.
Hansen ownership (2013–2021)
In 2013, Checketts sold his stake in the club to minority owner Dell Loy Hansen. The season saw the departure of key players Olave, Espindola, and Johnson; however, the club garnered another second place Western Conference finish, as well as trips to both the 2013 MLS Cup and 2013 U.S. Open Cup final, where the team lost to Sporting Kansas City and D.C. United, respectively. Following the season, Kreis left the club to coach expansion side New York City FC, with assistant coach Jeff Cassar replacing him; despite this, the club finished with a then-high points total of 56 points in 2014, qualifying for CONCACAF before being eliminated early in the playoffs.
2015 saw the departures of Borchers and Saborío, which led to the team failing to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2007. A push to the quarterfinals of the 2015-16 CONCACAF Champions League helped contribute to a stronger 2016 season and brief return to the playoffs. However, this season saw even further departures, with Morales and Olave leaving the club following 2016.
A poor start to the 2017 season saw Cassar dismissed as head coach, with Mike Petke taking over the position in April – however, despite a late-season run, the team failed to make the playoffs. 2018 saw improvements on the field, as the club finished sixth in the conference led by strong performances from Albert Rusnák and Damir Kreilach. However, the season was primarily focused on the opening of the Real Academy and Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman, which provided a new home for the club, the NWSL's Utah Royals FC, reserve side Real Monarchs, and the club's youth academies.
2019 saw the final seasons of both Rimando and long-time defender Tony Beltran, both of whom retired following the end of the campaign. The club also saw the dismissal of head coach Petke on August 11, following an incident with match officials during the 2019 Leagues Cup. Initially named interim manager for the remainder of the season, assistant coach Freddy Juarez was eventually named as head coach following the season.
The 2020 season, significantly shortened by the COVID-19 pandemic, nonetheless saw announcement that Hansen would sell his stakes in Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals FC, and Real Monarchs following controversy over his past use of racist language. Additionally, long-time club captain – and final remaining member of the 2009 MLS Cup winning side – Beckerman retired following the season's end, having played more regular season games than any outfield player in MLS history.
Blitzer and Smith ownership (2022–2025)
RSL began the 2021 season with no defined ownership, with MLS controlling the process of sale to new ownership. Despite a relatively strong start to the season, Juarez unexpectedly left as head coach on August 27 to become an assistant coach with Seattle Sounders FC, leaving his own assistant Pablo Mastroeni to see out the season as interim. Under Mastroeni, the team made a late-season push to the playoffs, qualifying on the final day of the season through a stoppage-time goal by Kreilach to give RSL a win over Sporting Kansas City. Despite barely qualifying, the team progressed to the conference finals for the first time since 2013 before being defeated by the Portland Timbers. This success led to Mastroeni being named permanent head coach following the season.
Prior to the 2022 season, the franchise was acquired by sports team investors Ryan Smith and David Blitzer.
Miller ownership (2025–present)
On April 18, 2025, Miller Sports + Entertainment, led by former Utah Jazz owner Gail Miller, acquired a controlling interest in the franchise for $600 million, with Blitzer remaining as a minority owner.
Colors and badge
The team's colors are claret red, cobalt blue, and real gold.
Uniform evolution
Home, away, and third uniforms.
- Home
- Away
- Third/special
Stadium
| Name | Location | Years in use | Capacity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rice-Eccles Stadium | Salt Lake City, Utah | 2005–2008 | 45,071 |
| America First Field | Sandy, Utah | 2008–present | 20,213 |
After months of discussions an agreement was put in place and Real Salt Lake announced that they would move forward with the construction of Real Salt Lake Stadium.
The Debt Review Committee of Salt Lake County, however, voted against the stadium. In response, Real Salt Lake's owner announced the team would be sold and likely move out of the Salt Lake area after the 2007 season. However, a new stadium proposal was passed by the State Senate. The Utah House approved House bill 1SHB38, approving $35 million towards the development of Real Salt Lake's new home. The governor signed the bill.
The $110 million stadium was built in Sandy, a suburb of Salt Lake City. The stadium was named after its sponsor, Rio Tinto Group. The stadium opened on October 9, 2008. In September 2022, Rio Tinto Stadium was renamed America First Field, with RSL and America First Credit Union announcing a naming rights deal.
Club culture
Rivalries
Rocky Mountain Cup
The main rival of Real Salt Lake is considered to be the Colorado Rapids, with the two competing for the annual Rocky Mountain Cup. The two clubs are the closest to each other geographically, and began the rivalry upon RSL's entrance into Major League Soccer in the 2005 season. As of the 2026 season, RSL holds the edge in the cup, winning 14 times to Colorado's 7.
Although no annual trophy is involved, the club also maintains a fierce rivalry with Sporting Kansas City. Initially born out of a preseason brawl in 2011, the rivalry escalated following the 2013 MLS Cup, in which RSL was defeated by Kansas City in penalties. Both teams have regularly competed in the Western Conference.
Fans of the club also maintain smaller-scale rivalries with the LA Galaxy, Los Angeles FC, and Seattle Sounders FC.
Supporters groups
Real Salt Lake has seven officially recognized supporters groups — Salt City United, Rogue Cavaliers Brigade, Section 26, Riot Brigade, La Barra Real, Section 11 ("The Swarm"), and Los Caballeros Reales — which as of 2019 all exist under a larger unified umbrella group known as The Riot.
Leo the Lion is the official mascot of Real Salt Lake.
Club anthem
In 2011, Branden Steineckert, drummer of punk band Rancid and a supporter of Real Salt Lake, composed the song "Believe" in honor of the club. Initially posted on YouTube, the song has since been adopted as the team's official anthem, being sung at the beginning of every home game, at the end of every home game if the result is a win, as well as after all goals scored by RSL.
Revenue and profitability
As Real Salt Lake is a small-market team, one of the team's biggest challenges is bringing in enough revenue to remain competitive. Opening Rio Tinto Stadium in October 2008 provided a significant revenue boost to the team. Real Salt Lake went from 4,000 season-ticket holders before October 2008, to 8,750 in 2012, 10,000 in 2013, and 15,000+ in 2016.
Sponsorship
| Period | Kit manufacturer | Shirt sponsor |
|---|---|---|
| 2005–2008 | Adidas | — |
| 2009–2012 | Xango | |
| 2012–2013 | Xango (home) LifeVantage (away) | |
| 2014–2023 | LifeVantage | |
| 2024–present | Intermountain Health |
RSL has a long-term sponsorship deal with Intermountain Health. It previously had sponsorship deals with LifeVantage and Xango. Additional sponsors include JetBlue Airways, Maverik, Inc., Ford, WCF Insurance, and Zions Bank. Their corporate sponsors are America First Credit Union, Adidas, Atlas Disposal, City Creek Center, Coca-Cola, Collins Roofing Inc., Continental Tires, England Logistics, Utah Governor's Office of Economic Development, Great Clips, Key Bank, Les Olson Company, MarketStar, Michelob ULTRA, Pikus Concrete, Planet Fitness, Presidio, RealMedia, Sew Sweet, Sherwin-Williams, Siegfried and Jensen, Summit Technology, Toro, Toyota, Utah Children's Dental Network, Utah: Life Elevated, WGU, YESCO, and Zagg brands.
Broadcasting
Sinclair Broadcast Group held television rights to Real Salt Lake games that were not aired by Major League Soccer's national television partners. The telecasts (which, until its discontinuation, were originally presented by Sinclair's American Sports Network) featured pre- and post-game coverage. Sinclair's Utah station KMYU served as the team's flagship station, and telecasts were syndicated to other Sinclair-owned stations in the region, and non-Sinclair stations in Albuquerque, Phoenix and Tucson. In 2018, the team extended its television deal with Sinclair, and announced a streaming partnership with KSL-TV, under which it offered in-market streaming of RSL's regional broadcasts, as well as their former sister club Utah Royals FC (NWSL) and reserve club Real Monarchs (then in the USL), on digital platforms. In 2020, the team extended its television deal with Sinclair until 2022.
Players and staff
Roster
Out on loan
Technical and coaching staff
| Title | Name | No. | Player | Position | Nation | Tenure | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| s=John Kimball}} ===Ring of Honor=== {| class="wikitable" | |||||
| 9 | Jason Kreis | Forward | United States | 2005–2007 | |
| 11 | Javier Morales | Midfielder | Argentina | 2007–2016 | |
| 18 | Nick Rimando | Goalkeeper | United States | 2007–2019 |
Team captains
| Nationality | Name | Tenure |
|---|---|---|
| Jason Kreis | 2005–2007 | |
| Eddie Pope | 2007 | |
| Kyle Beckerman | 2008–2020 | |
| Albert Rusnák | 2021 | |
| Damir Kreilach | 2022–2023 | |
| Chicho Arango | 2024 | |
| Emeka Eneli | 2025 | |
| Rafael Cabral | 2025-present |
General managers
| Name | Tenure |
|---|---|
| Steve Pastorino | 2004–2007 |
| Garth Lagerwey | 2007–2014 |
| Craig Waibel | 2015–2019 |
| Elliot Fall | 2019–2023 |
Ownership history
- Dave Checketts (2005–2013)
- Del Loy Hansen (2009–2020)
- MLS (2021)
- Ryan Smith (2022–2025)
- David Blitzer (2022–present)
- Gail Miller (Miller Sports + Entertainment) (2025-present)
Head coaches
- Includes MLS regular Season, MLS Playoffs, CONCACAF Champions League, Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, and Leagues Cup.
| John Ellinger | January 2005 – May 3, 2007 | 71 | 16 | 39 | 16 | 33.8% | 0.90 | 0/2 | Inaugural head coach |
| Jason Kreis | May 3, 2007 – December 10, 2013 | 261 | 112 | 85 | 64 | 55.2% | 1.52 | 6/7 | First championship |
| Jeff Cassar | December 18, 2013 – March 20, 2017 | 121 | 45 | 43 | 33 | 50.8% | 1.39 | 2/3 | |
| Daryl Shore | March 20, 2017 – April 3, 2017 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 25.0% | 0.5 | 0/0 | interim |
| Mike Petke | April 3, 2017 – August 11, 2019 | 91 | 37 | 39 | 15 | 48.9% | 1.38 | 1/2 | |
| Freddy Juarez | August 11, 2019 – August 27, 2021 | 55 | 18 | 14 | 23 | 53.6% | 0.8 | 1/2 | interim until December 3, 2019 |
| Pablo Mastroeni | August 27, 2021 – present | 149 | 61 | 57 | 31 | 51.3% | 1.43 | 4/4 | interim until December 13, 2021 |
Honors
| National | Competitions | Titles | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| MLS Cup | 1 | 2009 |
| Western Conference (Playoff) | 1 | 2013 |
| Eastern Conference (Playoff) | 1 | 2009 |
Team results
Year-by-year
List of Real Salt Lake seasons
This is a partial list of the last five seasons completed by RSL. For the full season-by-season history, see List of Real Salt Lake seasons.
| Season | League | Position | Playoffs | USOC | Continental / Other | Average attendance | Top goalscorer(s) | Div | League | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | PPG | Conf. | Overall | Name(s) | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | MLS | 34 | 14 | 14 | 6 | 55 | 54 | +1 | 48 | 1.41 | 7th | 13th | SF | NH | 15,283 | Damir Kreilach | 16 | |
| 2022 | MLS | 34 | 12 | 11 | 11 | 43 | 45 | −2 | 47 | 1.38 | 7th | 14th | R1 | R3 | 20,470 | Sergio Córdova | 11 | ||
| 2023 | MLS | 34 | 14 | 12 | 8 | 48 | 50 | −2 | 50 | 1.41 | 5th | 11th | R1 | SF | Leagues Cup | R16 | 19,429 | Jefferson Savarino | 7 |
| 2024 | MLS | 34 | 16 | 7 | 11 | 65 | 48 | +17 | 59 | 1.74 | 3rd | 6th | R1 | Ro32 | Leagues Cup | GS | 20,295 | Cristian Arango | 17 |
| 2025 | MLS | 34 | 12 | 17 | 5 | 38 | 49 | -11 | 41 | 1.21 | 9th | 19th | WC | DNP | CONCACAF Champions Cup Leagues Cup | R1 LS | 19,772 | Diego Luna | 10 |
1. Avg. attendance include statistics from league matches only.
2. Top goalscorer(s) includes all goals scored in League, MLS Cup Playoffs, U.S. Open Cup, MLS is Back Tournament, CONCACAF Champions League, FIFA Club World Cup, and other competitive continental matches.
CONCACAF Champions Cup
MLS performance in Champions League
- Did not qualify for Champions League tournament in years not listed
| 2010–11 | 2009 MLS Cup champion | Group stage | Árabe Unido | 2–1 | 3–2 |
| Cruz Azul | 3–1 | 4–5 | |||
| Toronto FC | 4–1 | 1–1 | |||
| Quarter-finals | Columbus Crew | 4–1 | 0–0 | ||
| Semi-finals | Saprissa | 2–0 | 1–2 | ||
| Finals | Monterrey | 0–1 | 2–2 | ||
| 2012–13 | 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield third place | Group stage | Herediano | 0–0 | 0–1 |
| Tauro F.C. | 2–0 | 1–0 | |||
| 2015–16 | 2014 MLS Supporters' Shield fourth place | Group stage | Municipal | 1–0 | 1–0 |
| Santa Tecla | 2–1 | 0–0 | |||
| Quarter-finals | UANL | 1–1 | 0–2 | ||
| 2025 | 2024 MLS Supporters' Shield sixth place | Round One | Herediano | 0–0 | 1–2 |
- Win %- Number of wins divided by number of games played (ties count as half a win)
- Games decided by a PK Shoot out counted as win or loss not Draw.
| Team | Country | Home | Away | Total | |||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | D | F | A | GD | Win % | GP | W | L | D | F | A | GD | Win % | GP | W | L | D | F | A | GD | Win % | ||
| Árabe Unido | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 100% | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 100% | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 100% | |
| Columbus Crew | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.0% | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 75.0% | |
| Cruz Azul | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 5 | −1 | 0.0% | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 6 | +1 | 50.0% | |
| Herediano | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 25.0% | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 25.0% | 4 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 25.0% | |
| Monterrey | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0.0% | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 50.0% | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 25.0% | |
| Municipal | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 100% | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 100% | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100% | |
| Santa Tecla | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 50.0% | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 75.0% | |
| Saprissa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | −1 | 0.0% | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 50.0% | |
| Tauro F.C. | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 100% | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 100% | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 100% | |
| Toronto FC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 100% | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 2 | +3 | 75.0% | |
| UANL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 50.0% | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | −2 | 0.0% | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 25.0% | |
| Total | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 21 | 7 | +14 | 81.8% | 11 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 13 | 15 | -2 | 45.5% | 22 | 11 | 5 | 6 | 34 | 22 | +12 | 63.6% |
Leagues Cup
| Season | Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Quarter-finals | Tigres UANL | 0–1 |
| 2023 | Group stage | Seattle Sounders FC | 3-0 |
| Monterrey | 0–3 | ||
| Round of 32 | Club León | 3-1 | |
| Round of 16 | Los Angeles FC | 0–4 | |
| 2024 | Group stage | Atlas | 3-1 |
| Houston Dynamo FC | 0–3 | ||
| 2025 | League stage | América | 2-2 (3-1 pk) |
| Atlético San Luis | 2-2 (1-4 pk) | ||
| Querétaro | 1-0 |
MLS records
- Fewest goals allowed: 20 (previous record 23, Houston 2007)
- Overall goal difference: +25 (previous record +22, San Jose 2005 and D.C. United 2007)
- Home goal difference: +24 (previous record +23, Real Salt Lake 2009)
- Total home points (30-game season): 37 (previous record 35, Columbus 2009)
- Fewest home losses: 0 (equals previous record set by San Jose in 2005)
- Fewest home goals allowed: 7 (previous record 8, Colorado 2004)
Associated teams
Real Monarchs
The reserve team of Real Salt Lake, named Real Monarchs SLC, was created on September 10, 2014, as a bridge between the club's academy program and the first level team. The team began play in the Western Conference of the United Soccer League during the 2015 season, playing their home games at Rio Tinto Stadium along with their parent team. Starting in 2018, the Monarchs will move to Zions Bank Stadium, a 5,000-seat facility located at RSL's new training center in Herriman.
A women's soccer team, called Real Salt Lake Women, was founded in 2008. The team is currently a member of the Western Division of United Women's Soccer, the second tier of women's soccer in the United States and Canada, and plays its home games at Ute Field, on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.
Real Salt Lake added a second women's team, this one in the top-level National Women's Soccer League, in November 2017. This team effectively replaced FC Kansas City in the NWSL, as FC Kansas City soon folded and all of its player contracts were assigned to the new RSL franchise. Shortly thereafter, the new team, which will share Rio Tinto Stadium, was unveiled as Utah Royals FC.
Player records
Career
- Players in Bold are still active
- Only regular season matches played with Real Salt Lake counted towards all-time records. Stats from MLS play-offs, U.S. Open Cup, Super Liga and CONCACAF Champions league are not included.
| Rank | Player | Goals | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Álvaro Saborío | 63 | 127 | 2010–2015 |
| 2 | Javier Morales | 49 | 240 | 2007–2016 |
| 3 | Damir Kreilach | 47 | 151 | 2018–2023 |
| 4 | Joao Plata | 46 | 175 | 2013–2019 |
| 5 | Albert Rusnák | 41 | 140 | 2017–2021 |
| 6 | Robbie Findley | 36 | 137 | 2007–2010, 2013–2014 |
| 7 | Fabián Espíndola | 35 | 125 | 2007–2012 |
| Jefferson Savarino | 35 | 125 | 2017–2019, 2022–2024 | |
| 9 | Yura Movsisyan | 31 | 110 | 2007–2009, 2016–2017 |
| 10 | Kyle Beckerman | 30 | 350 | 2007–2020 |
| Rank | Player | Assists | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Javier Morales | 81 | 240 | 2007–2016 |
| 2 | Joao Plata | 43 | 175 | 2013–2019 |
| 3 | Albert Rusnák | 39 | 140 | 2017–2021 |
| Kyle Beckerman | 39 | 350 | 2007–2020 | |
| 5 | Jefferson Savarino | 33 | 125 | 2017–2019, 2022–2024 |
| 6 | Andy Williams | 29 | 189 | 2005–2011 |
| 7 | Damir Kreilach | 24 | 151 | 2018–2023 |
| 8 | Maikel Chang | 20 | 124 | 2020–2024 |
| 9 | Diego Luna | 19 | 94 | 2022-present |
| Aaron Herrera | 19 | 124 | 2018–2022 |
| Rank | Player | Goals | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Rimando | 369 | 0 | 2007–2019 |
| 2 | Kyle Beckerman | 350 | 30 | 2007–2020 |
| 3 | Justen Glad | 272 | 13 | 2013–present |
| 4 | Chris Wingert | 247 | 2 | 2007–2014, 2016–2017 |
| 5 | Tony Beltran | 245 | 1 | 2008–2019 |
| 6 | Javier Morales | 240 | 49 | 2007–2016 |
| 7 | Nat Borchers | 205 | 10 | 2008–2014 |
| 8 | Andy Williams | 189 | 14 | 2005–2011 |
| 9 | Joao Plata | 175 | 46 | 2013–2019 |
| 10 | Jámison Olave | 159 | 13 | 2008–2012, 2015–2016 |
| Rank | Player | Shutouts | Years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Rimando | 118 | 369 | 2007–2019 |
| 2 | Zac MacMath | 30 | 98 | 2020–present |
| 3 | Rafael Cabral | 7 | 34 | 2025-present |
| 4 | Andrew Putna | 6 | 22 | 2018–2021 |
| 5 | David Ochoa | 5 | 26 | 2019–2022 |
| Jeff Attinella | 5 | 29 | 2013–2016 | |
| 7 | Kyle Reynish | 4 | 8 | 2007–2012 |
| D.J. Countess | 4 | 27 | 2005 | |
| Scott Garlick | 4 | 31 | 2006–2007 | |
| 10 | Gavin Beavers | 3 | 18 | 2022-2024 |
Single season
- Only regular season matches played with Real Salt Lake counted towards records.
- Players in bold currently play for Real Salt Lake.
| Legend |
|---|
| Indicates current season |
| Rank | Player | Nation | Season | Goals | Assists |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chicho Arango | 2024 | 17 | 11 | |
| Álvaro Saborío | 2012 | 17 | 3 | ||
| 3 | Jeff Cunningham | 2006 | 16 | 11 | |
| Damir Kreilach | 2021 | 16 | 9 | ||
| 5 | Andrés Gómez | 2024 | 13 | 9 | |
| Joao Plata | 2014 | 13 | 6 | ||
| 7 | Damir Kreilach | 2018 | 12 | 8 | |
| Álvaro Saborío | 2010 | 12 | 4 | ||
| Robbie Findley | 2009 | 12 | 4 | ||
| Álvaro Saborío | 2013 | 12 | 2 |
| Rank | Player | Nation | Season | Assists | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Javier Morales | 2008 | 15 | 2511 | |
| 2 | Albert Rusnák | 2017 | 14 | 2579 | |
| 3 | Diego Luna | 2024 | 12 | 2014 | |
| Chicho Arango | 2024 | 12 | 2079 | ||
| Javier Morales | 2015 | 12 | 2124 | ||
| Javier Morales | 2014 | 12 | 2645 | ||
| 7 | Jeff Cunningham | 2006 | 11 | 2404 | |
| Joao Plata | 2016 | 11 | 2478 | ||
| Aaron Herrera | 2021 | 11 | 2514 | ||
| Jefferson Savarino | 2018 | 11 | 2853 | ||
| Albert Rusnák | 2021 | 11 | 3045 |
| Rank | Player | Nation | Season | Shutouts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nick Rimando | 2010 | 14 | |
| 2 | 2011 | 13 | ||
| 3 | 2012 | 12 | ||
| 4 | 2019 | 10 | ||
| Zac MacMath | 2022 | 10 | ||
| 6 | Nick Rimando | 2009 | 9 | |
| 2013 | 9 | |||
| Zac MacMath | 2023 | 9 | ||
| 9 | Nick Rimando | 2015 | 8 | |
| 2017 | 8 | |||
| 2008 | 8 |
Hat tricks
| Player | Date | Opponent | Result | Competition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jason Kreis | July 13, 2005 | Minnesota Thunder | L 4–6 | Open Cup |
| Robbie Findley | April 2, 2009 | Columbus Crew | W 4–1 | MLS |
| Álvaro Saborío | July 7, 2012 | Portland Timbers | W 3–0 | |
| September 29, 2012 | Chivas USA | W 4–0 | ||
| July 27, 2013 | New York Red Bulls | L 3–4 | ||
| Javier Morales | May 11, 2014 | Houston Dynamo | W 5–2 | |
| Damir Kreilach | September 1, 2018 | LA Galaxy | W 6–2 | |
| Chicho Arango | March 30, 2024 | St. Louis City SC | W 3–1 | |
| June 1, 2024 | Austin FC | W 5–1 |
Player honors
League honors
MLS All-Star appearances
Players in bold currently play for Real Salt Lake.
| Appearances | Player | Nation | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Kyle Beckerman | 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016 | |
| 7 | Nick Rimando | 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2019 | |
| 3 | Jamison Olave | 2010, 2011, 2012 | |
| 2 | Tony Beltran | 2013, 2015 | |
| Diego Luna | 2024, 2025 | ||
| Javier Morales | 2009, 2010 | ||
| Eddie Pope | 2005, 2007 | ||
| 1 | Chicho Arango | 2024 | |
| Fabián Espíndola | 2012 | ||
| Justen Glad | 2024 | ||
| Will Johnson | 2009 | ||
| Damir Kreilach | 2021 |
Player awards
The following awards were given to Real Salt Lake players by Major League Soccer in the season indicated:
Team honors
- The annual season-ending award winners are decided based on voting by RSL players.
Team MVP
Golden boot
| Season | Player | Goals |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | Jason Kreis | 9 |
| 2006 | Jeff Cunningham | 16 |
| 2007 | Robbie Findley | 6 |
| 2008 | Yura Movsisyan | 8 |
| 2009 | Robbie Findley (2) | 12 |
| 2010 | Álvaro Saborío | 12 |
| 2011 | Álvaro Saborío (2) | 11 |
| 2012 | Álvaro Saborío (3) | 17 |
| 2013 | Álvaro Saborío (4) | 12 |
| 2014 | Joao Plata | 13 |
| 2015 | Javier Morales | 8 |
| 2016 | Joao Plata (2) | 9 |
| 2017 | Albert Rusnák | 7 |
| 2018 | Damir Kreilach | 12 |
| 2019 | Albert Rusnák (2) | 7 |
| 2020 | Damir Kreilach (2) | 8 |
| 2021 | Damir Kreilach (3) | 16 |
| 2022 | Sergio Córdova | 9 |
| 2023 | Jefferson Savarino | 7 |
| 2024 | Chicho Arango | 17 |
| 2025 | Diego Luna | 9 |
Defensive Player of the Year
References
- Butler, Dylan, Rimando Way: Street outside Rio Tinto Stadium named for Real Salt Lake legendary goalkeeper, MLS Digital, MLSSoccer.com, September 28, 2019, June 14, 2021, Nick Rimando has been a fixture for Real Salt Lake in his 13 years in Claret-and-Cobalt. So it's only fitting that the city of Sandy, Utah honored the legendary goalkeeper with his own street outside Rio Tinto Stadium.
- Real Salt Lake 2012 Media Guide, Major League Soccer, March 5, 2012, June 1, 2012, March 21, 2017
- RSL Communications, Real Salt Lake Names Pablo Mastroeni Permanent Head Coach, MLS Digital, RSL.com, December 13, 2021, January 3, 2022
- The Real Story: Madrid to Salt Lake City, The New York Times, July 21, 2007, February 21, 2015
- West, Phil, How Real Salt Lake got their name and colors, Major League Soccer, April 28, 2016, May 19, 2016
- Richins, Peter, Major League Soccer: Looking for a nickname, The Salt Lake Tribune, August 6, 2004, November 19, 2015
- The Absurdity of MLS Nomenclature, November 2, 2014, October 22, 2014, dead
- A New Day for Real Salt Lake as Dave Checketts moves on, RSL Perspective, January 24, 2013, June 8, 2014, June 7, 2019, dead
- USSoccerPlayers: Sounders Already Scoring, Ussoccerplayers.typepad.com, April 10, 2008, December 3, 2011, dead, October 4, 2011
- The New York Times, Ron, Dicker, On a Night Unfit for Scoring, the MetroStars Slog to a tie, April 3, 2005
- dead, January 17, 2010, Real Salt Lake: Things have changed a lot since '05 opener, Dan Rasmussen, October 5, 2008, DeseretNews.com, February 21, 2015
- Hackett, Tom, December 9, 2020, Real Salt Lake Trio Honored As Top 25 Greatest Players In MLS History, April 14, 2025, KSL Sports, en-us
- KSL.com, May 23, 2007, RSL Trades Jeff Cunningham to Toronto, April 14, 2025, www.ksl.com, en
- dead, October 23, 2012, 'Tireless' Ellinger setting sails, James Edward, August 8, 2007, DeseretNews.com, February 21, 2015
- dead, October 23, 2012, Winless RSL has coaching shake up, September 1, 2011, ESPN, September 1, 2011
- 2009 Real Salt Lake Stats, All Competitions, April 14, 2025, FBref.com, en
- dead, October 29, 2009, Real Salt Lake: Believe it! RSL earns playoff spot, James Edward, October 25, 2009, DeseretNews.com, February 21, 2015
- Salt Lake beat L.A. Galaxy to MLS title, November 23, 2009, ESPN, November 23, 2009, October 20, 2012, dead
- RSL Notes & Quotes – RSL 2 : 0 FCD, Real Salt Lake, February 21, 2015, July 15, 2011, dead
- Lewis, Michael C., Brazilian's two goals propel RSL over Cruz Azul, The Salt Lake Tribune, October 20, 2010, November 19, 2015
- Real Salt Lake, Club World Champions?, usdish.com, April 26, 2011
- dead, November 11, 2012, CCL Recap: Herediano hold RSL 0–0, dash CCL dream, MLSsoccer.com, February 21, 2015
- Dell Loy Hansen acquires full ownership of Real Salt Lake, Nicholas Rosano, January 24, 2013, April 14, 2013, April 7, 2013, dead
- 2013 Real Salt Lake Preview: Revamp–not overhaul–should keep RSL in the hunt, February 27, 2013, Michael Black, April 14, 2013, June 2, 2013, dead
- Jason Kreis steps down as head coach of Real Salt Lake, will take top job at New York City FC, MLSsoccer.com, February 21, 2015, December 13, 2013, dead
- Real Salt Lake promote longtime assistant Jeff Cassar to replace departed head coach Jason Kreis, MLSsoccer.com, February 21, 2015, January 20, 2014, dead
- Kamrani, Chris, Done deal: RSL trades Nat Borchers to Portland in exchange for allocation money, The Salt Lake Tribune, December 8, 2014, November 19, 2015
- Kamrani, Christopher, Real Salt Lake: RSL trades Alvaro Saborio for D.C. United midfielder Luis Silva (with video), The Salt Lake Tribune, July 16, 2015, November 19, 2015
- Real Salt Lake Exercises Options on Five Players, Real Salt Lake, November 30, 2016, March 30, 2017
- Real Salt Lake Dismisses Head Coach Jeff Cassar, Real Salt Lake, March 20, 2017, March 21, 2017
- Real Salt Lake promote Mike Petke to Head Coach, Real Salt Lake, March 29, 2017, March 30, 2017
- Lee, Maddie, MLS commissioner says Real Salt Lake's new facility enables the league to recruit, develop world's top talent, The Salt Lake Tribune, February 28, 2018, August 22, 2018
- RSL coach hopes COVID-19 cases slow before MLS tournament start in Florida, July 3, 2020, The Salt Lake Tribune, en-US
- June 10, 2020, RSL Manager Freddy Juarez Eager To Begin Orlando Tournament Preparations, July 3, 2020, KSL Sports
- Carlisle, Jeff, August 30, 2020, Dell Loy Hansen to sell Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals, ESPN, August 30, 2020
- RSL Communications, Real Salt Lake Icon Kyle Beckerman Announces His Retirement, Real Salt Lake, RSL.com, December 21, 2020, December 9, 2021
- Vejar, Alex, January 7, 2021, MLS to take over sale process of RSL on Friday, Salt Lake Tribune, January 8, 2021
- MLSSoccer.com staff, Real Salt Lake, head coach Freddy Juarez part ways midseason, MLSSoccer.com, MLSSoccer.com, August 27, 2021, December 9, 2021
- Dylan Butler, Recap: Sporting Kansas City 0, Real Salt Lake 1, MLSSoccer.com, MLSSoccer.com, November 8, 2021, December 9, 2021
- MLSSoccer.com staff, Real Salt Lake name Pablo Mastroeni permanent head coach, MLSSoccer.com, MLSSoccer.com, December 13, 2021, December 13, 2021
- David Blitzer & Smith Entertainment Group to Purchase Real Salt Lake, MLS Digital, RSL.com, January 5, 2022, January 11, 2022
- Stejskal, Sam, Tenorio, Paul, David Blitzer group finalizes RSL purchase; Details on Lorenzo Insigne's Toronto FC salary: MLS Notebook, TheAthletic.com, January 5, 2022, January 11, 2022
- Novy-Williams, Eben, Miller Family Buying Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals From Blitzer, Sportico, April 20, 2025, April 18, 2025
- Introducing Utah's team: Real Salt Lake, MLS Digital, MLSSoccer.com, January 22, 2010, June 4, 2024
- West, Phil, How Real Salt Lake got their name and colors, MLS Digital, MLSSoccer.com, April 28, 2016, February 12, 2020
- Real Salt Lake jerseys through the years " claretpapers, March 28, 2012, Claretpapers.wordpress.com, September 2, 2012
- RSL kit unveil: Gold bar features crown, reaction mixed, RSL Soapbox, February 4, 2014, November 2, 2014
- Borg, Simon, Jersey Week 2014: Real Salt Lake's new home kits carry club's motto, Major League Soccer, March 4, 2014, June 13, 2015, August 2, 2015, dead
- Real Salt Lake joined by Real Madrid Saturday at 12:00 noon to break ground on Sandy stadium site, Major League Soccer, January 23, 2010, June 9, 2015, June 17, 2015, dead
- Soccer Stadium Finally A ReALity, KUTV, Associated Press, August 15, 2006, September 26, 2007, June 13, 2015
- KSL Newsradio: Soccer stadium deal is dead, dead, September 30, 2007, Deseret News, January 29, 2007, December 3, 2011
- Jensen, Derek P., Stadium plan: It's ba-a-ack!, The Salt Lake Tribune, February 2, 2007, December 3, 2011
- Lisa Riley Roche, Amelia Nielson-Stowell, Leigh Dethman, Stadium deal due by Friday – or else, dead, July 9, 2012, Deseret News, February 3, 2007, December 3, 2011
- Walsh, Rebecca, Senate paves way for a Sandy stadium, The Salt Lake Tribune, February 6, 2007, December 3, 2011, dead, February 6, 2012
- RSL confirms Oct. 9 stadium opening, The Salt Lake Tribune, August 5, 2008, November 19, 2015, dead, September 30, 2008
- America First Field is New Name for Real Salt Lake's Home | Real Salt Lake
- The History of the Rocky Mountain Cup, Burgundy Wave, SB Nation, June 4, 2015, September 29, 2015
- MLSsoccer Staff, Hard tackles, hard words, hard-fought: The Real Salt Lake-Sporting KC feud, MLSsoccer.com, April 28, 2017, July 14, 2018
- Kamrani, Christopher, Real Salt Lake: Heated rivalry with Sporting KC still alive and well, The Salt Lake Tribune, June 21, 2015, November 19, 2015
- Real Salt Lake eager to renew heat of old antagonism with LA Galaxy, May 19, 2025
- Supporters Groups, RSL.com, July 2018, March 10, 2020
- Leonardo the Lion, Real Salt Lake, February 22, 2012, RSL.com
- Botta, Christopher, MLS club presidents on the season ahead, Sports Business Daily, March 4, 2013, June 9, 2015, December 22, 2015, dead
- Behind the MLS Ambition Rankings: Real Salt Lake, SI.com, March 4, 2016, July 14, 2018
- Real Salt Lake's new jerseys have a 'localized twist'
- Harvey, Tom, RSL to switch jersey sponsor, The Salt Lake Tribune, November 22, 2013, November 19, 2015
- Real Salt Lake unveils new long-term jersey-front partnership with LifeVantage, RealSaltLake.com, October 29, 2013, October 29, 2013, October 30, 2013, dead
- James Edward, Real Salt Lake signs JetBlue as airline partner, dead, February 24, 2014, Deseret News, March 19, 2009, November 2, 2014
- Royal Partners, Real Salt Lake, November 2, 2014
- Corporate Partners, Real Salt Lake, October 27, 2021
- Real Salt Lake close TV deal that would provide "quantum leap" in market reach, Real Salt Lake, February 21, 2015, January 28, 2015, dead
- Real Salt Lake extends Partnership with KMYU, Komma, Matt, KUTV.com, Sinclair Broadcast Group, March 3, 2018
- Real Salt Lake launches innovative local streaming partnership with KSL, February 12, 2018, March 3, 2018
- dead, February 13, 2018, KSL to stream nearly all Real Salt Lake, Utah Royals and Monarchs games, Morton, Aaron, February 13, 2018, DeseretNews.com, March 3, 2018
- Real Salt Lake extends partnership with KUTV & KMYU, August 21, 2020, November 1, 2020
- Edward, James, Real Salt Lake: Jason Kreis has altered the course of team history, dead, July 5, 2011, Deseret News, July 2, 2011, June 22, 2018
- Walker, Sean, Better late than never, Real Salt Lake finally does right by Javier Morales, KSL.com, September 26, 2019, April 8, 2021
- Dana, Greene, Nick Rimando inducted into RSL ring of honor, KTVX, June 15, 2025, June 15, 2025
- Randy Davis, The numbers behind RSL's record-setting season, Real Salt Lake, December 19, 2010, December 3, 2011
- Zions Bank Real Academy new home for Real Salt Lake development pyramid, Real Salt Lake, May 24, 2017, December 19, 2017
- Real Salt Lake to field NWSL team starting in 2018, Major League Soccer, November 16, 2017, December 19, 2017
- FC Kansas City women's soccer team folds, NWSL sends players to Salt Lake City, Maria, Torres, The Kansas City Star, November 20, 2017, December 19, 2017
- Utah Royals FC unveils name, identity for 2018 NWSL season, Real Salt Lake, December 1, 2017, December 19, 2017
- October 23, 2017, Real Salt Lake Announces 2017 Award Winners, October 25, 2017, rsl.com
External links
Category:2004 establishments in Utah
Category:Association football clubs established in 2004
Category:Major League Soccer teams
Category:Private equity portfolio companies
Category:Professional sports teams in Utah
Category:Soccer clubs in Salt Lake City
Category:Professional soccer clubs in the United States
Category:2022 mergers and acquisitions
Category:2025 mergers and acquisitions
Category:David Blitzer