Today marks Chase Gasper’s 30th birthday. While many defenders are entering their prime at this age, Gasper is beginning a new chapter outside of professional soccer, having recently stepped away from the game following the 2025 MLS season.
For the Minnesota United faithful, Gasper remains a defining figure of the club’s early years at Allianz Field—a gritty, reliable left-back whose blue-collar work ethic mirrored the “Wonderwall” itself.
From being a standout draft pick to earning a hard-fought international cap, Gasper’s journey through the league has been one of resilience, and as he hits this milestone birthday, his legacy in Saint Paul as a foundational piece of the club’s most successful era is firmly secured.
A draft-day hit in Saint Paul
Gasper arrived in Minnesota as the 15th overall pick in the 2019 MLS SuperDraft and quickly became the gold standard for what a collegiate player could achieve in the Loons’ system. Between 2019 and early 2022, Gasper made 77 appearances across all competitions for Minnesota United, tallying two goals and two assists.
His trademark was his relentless energy and a defensive tenacity that made him a nightmare for opposing wingers, helping anchor the backline during the club’s run to the 2019 U.S. Open Cup Final and their first-ever home playoff match.
His departure in May 2022 was an emotional one; he was traded to the LA Galaxy for $450,000 in General Allocation Money, ending a three-year tenure where his presence on the left was nearly synonymous with the team’s defensive identity.
A winding road across the league
The years following his departure from the Twin Cities saw Gasper take on the role of a reliable veteran across several MLS locker rooms. After a 17-game stint with the LA Galaxy, he was claimed off waivers by the Houston Dynamo in early 2023. In Texas, he added another piece of silverware to his resume, featuring for a Dynamo side that claimed the 2023 U.S. Open Cup title.
His final professional stop came with Chicago Fire FC, where he spent the 2024 and 2025 seasons. While injuries began to limit his minutes in Chicago, Gasper remained a highly respected veteran presence until his contract expired at the end of the 2025 season, at which point he officially transitioned into retirement to pursue new opportunities outside of the sport.
A legacy of resilience and grit
As Gasper turns 30 today, he can look back on a career that saw him maximize every ounce of his talent. While he isn’t a “seasoned” international, he did achieve the rare feat of earning a senior cap for the USMNT—a second-half substitute appearance in a 1-0 win over Costa Rica in February 2020. That cap represented the pinnacle of a journey that began on the college fields of UCLA and Maryland.
His game was never about flash; it was about the tactical discipline and physical commitment that allowed him to thrive in a league that often overlooks draft picks. For Minnesota supporters, Chase Gasper will always be remembered as the defender who left everything on the pitch, retiring as a respected veteran who helped build the competitive culture that still exists at Allianz Field today.
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