The 2021 Colorado Rapids season was the club's twenty-sixth season of existence and their twenty-sixth consecutive season in Major League Soccer (MLS), the top flight of American soccer.

Background

Colorado finished the 2020 season 5th in the Western Conference table, and 10th overall in MLS. Jonathan Lewis and Cole Bassett lead Colorado with 5 goals across all competitions. Outside of MLS play, the Rapids played in the MLS is Back Tournament, getting knocked out in the group stage. They were also scheduled to compete in the U.S. Open Cup before its cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Roster

Out on loan

Competitions

Preseason

Friendlies

Major League Soccer

Standings

Western Conference

Overall table

Results summary

Results by round

Match results

MLS Cup Playoffs The Rapids clinched the regular season Western Conference title on the last day of the season, November 7. They lost to the Portland Timbers in the Western Conference Semifinals on November 25.

U.S. Open Cup

It was announced on March 29 that the opening round of the tournament would not be held, and that the top eight MLS teams based on point per game from the first three weeks of the season would participate in the tournament. U.S. Soccer's Open Cup Committee announced it was not holding the 2021 U.S. Open Cup in the spring, but did not rule out holding the tournament later in the year. At the conclusion of the first three weeks of the season, the Rapids had gained 1.33 PPG, but that was not enough to qualify for the tournament. Eventually, it was announced that the U.S. Open Cup would not be held at all in 2021.

Qualification

Statistics

Appearances and goals Numbers after plus–sign (+) denote appearances as a substitute.

! colspan=14 style=background:#dcdcdc; text-align:center| Players transferred/loaned out during the season

Top scorers {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align: center;" |- !width=30|Rank !width=30|Position !width=30|Number !width=175|Name !width=75| !width=75| !width=75|Total |- |rowspan=1| 1 | FW || 12 || Michael Barrios | 8 || 0 || 8 |- |rowspan=1| 2 | FW || 7 || Jonathan Lewis | 7 || 0 || 7 |- |rowspan=3| 3 | FW || 8 || Dominique Badji | 5 || 0 || 5 |- | FW || 11 || Diego Rubio | 5 || 0 || 5 |- | MF || 26 || Cole Bassett | 5 || 0 || 5 |- |rowspan=1| 6 | FW || 9 || Andre Shinyashiki | 4 || 0 || 4 |- |rowspan=4| 7 | DF || 2 || Keegan Rosenberry | 2 || 0 || 2 |- | DF || 4 || Danny Wilson | 2 || 0 || 2 |- | DF || 6 || Lalas Abubakar | 2 || 0 || 2 |- | FW || 52 || Braian Galván | 2 || 0 || 2 |- |rowspan=7| 11 | DF || 5 || Auston Trusty | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | DF || 13 || Sam Vines | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | MF || 20 || Nicolás Mezquida | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | MF || 21 || Younes Namli | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | MF || 23 || Kellyn Acosta | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | MF || 32 || Collen Warner | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | DF || 66 || Lucas Esteves | 1 || 0 || 1 |- !colspan="4"|Total !! 50 !! 0 !! 50

Top assists {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align: center;" |- !width=30|Rank !width=30|Position !width=30|Number !width=175|Name !width=75| !width=75| !width=75|Total |- |rowspan=1| 1 | MF || 19 || Jack Price | 12 || 0 || 12 |- |rowspan=1| 2 | FW || 12 || Michael Barrios | 5 || 0 || 5 |- |rowspan=1| 3 | FW || 11 || Diego Rubio | 4 || 0 || 4 |- |rowspan=2| 4 | MF || 26 || Cole Bassett | 3 || 0 || 3 |- | FW || 52 || Braian Galván | 3 || 0 || 3 |- |rowspan=2| 6 | FW || 9 || Andre Shinyashiki | 2 || 0 || 2 |- | MF || 23 || Kellyn Acosta | 2 || 0 || 2 |- |rowspan=7| 8 | FW || 7 || Jonathan Lewis | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | FW || 10 || Nicolas Benezet | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | DF || 13 || Sam Vines | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | MF || 14 || Mark-Anthony Kaye | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | MF || 20 || Nicolás Mezquida | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | MF || 21 || Younes Namli | 1 || 0 || 1 |- | DF || 33 || Steven Beitashour | 1 || 0 || 1 |- !colspan="4"|Total !! 38 !! 0 !! 38

Clean sheets {| class="wikitable" style="font-size: 95%; text-align: center;" |- !width=30|Rank !width=30|Number !width=175|Name !width=75| !width=75| !width=75|Total |- | 1 | 22 || William Yarbrough | 13 || 0 || 13 |- !colspan="3"|Total !! 13 !! 0 !! 13

Disciplinary record {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center;" |- | rowspan="2" !width=15|Rank | rowspan="2" !width=15| | rowspan="2" !width=15| | rowspan="2" !width=120|Player | colspan="3"|MLS | colspan="3"|MLS Cup Playoffs | colspan="3"|Total |- !width=34; background:#fe9;| !width=34; background:#fe9;| !width=34; background:#ff8888;| !width=34; background:#fe9;| !width=34; background:#fe9;| !width=34; background:#ff8888;| !width=34; background:#fe9;| !width=34; background:#fe9;| !width=34; background:#ff8888;| |- |rowspan=2| 1 | 4 || DF || Danny Wilson | 8 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 8 || 0 || 1 |- | 19 || MF || Jack Price | 9 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 9 || 0 || 0 |- |rowspan=2| 3 | 32 || MF || Collen Warner | 7 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 7 || 0 || 0 |- | 11 || FW || Diego Rubio | 7 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 7 || 0 || 0 |- |rowspan=1| 5 | 6 || DF || Lalas Abubakar | 6 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 6 || 0 || 0 |- |rowspan=3| 6 | 5 || DF || Auston Trusty | 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 0 || 0 |- | 9 || FW || Andre Shinyashiki | 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 0 || 0 |- | 52 || FW || Braian Galván | 4 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 4 || 0 || 0 |- |rowspan=2| 9 | 12 || FW || Michael Barrios | 3 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 0 |- | 26 || MF || Cole Bassett | 3 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 3 || 0 || 0 |- |rowspan=6| 11 | 66 || DF || Lucas Esteves | 1 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 1 |- | 2 || DF || Keegan Rosenberry | 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 |- | 14 || MF || Mark-Anthony Kaye | 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 |- | 20 || MF || Nicolás Mezquida | 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 |- | 21 || MF || Younes Namli | 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 |- | 23 || MF || Kellyn Acosta | 2 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 2 || 0 || 0 |- |rowspan=6| 17 | 7 || FW || Jonathan Lewis | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 |- | 8 || FW || Dominique Badji | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 |- | 13 || DF || Sam Vines | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 |- | 22 || GK || William Yarbrough | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 |- | 33 || DF || Steven Beitashour | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 |- | 37 || FW || Dantouma Toure | 1 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 0 || 1 || 0 || 0 |- !colspan="4"|Total !! 72 !! 0 !! 2 !! 0 !! 0 !! 0 !! 72 !! 0 !! 2

Transfers

For transfers in, dates listed are when the Rapids officially signed the players to the roster. For transfers out, dates are listed when the Rapids officially removed the players from the roster, not when they signed with another club. If a player later signed with a different club, his new club will be noted, but the date listed remains when he was officially removed from the roster.

In Pos.PlayerTransferred fromFee/notesDateSource FW Michael Barrios FC Dallas FC Dallas receives an international roster spot and the 15th pick in the 2021 MLS SuperDraft. The Rapids also receive the 21st pick in the SuperDraft January 13, 2021 GK William Yarbrough León Three-year contract with a club option February 2, 2021 FW Oliver Larraz Colorado Rapids Academy Two-year Homegrown Player contract with a club option for two additional years. March 3, 2021 FW Darren Yapi Colorado Springs Switchbacks Five-year Homegrown Player contract with a club option for one additional year. March 3, 2021 DF Michael Edwards VfL Wolfsburg II Two-year Homegrown Player contract with a club option for two additional years. D.C. United will receive $75,000 in general allocation money for Edwards' homegrown priority. March 4, 2021 FW Dantouma Toure New York Red Bulls II Four-year contract with a club option for an additional two years. New York Red Bulls will receive $50,000 in general allocation money for Toure's homegrown priority. March 4, 2021 MF Mark-Anthony Kaye Los Angeles FC Los Angeles FC receives $1 million in general allocation money and a 2022 international roster spot. Colorado also receives a 2022 first-round Superdraft pick. July 27, 2021 FW Dominique Badji Nashville SC Nashville SC receive $50,000 in general allocation money. July 29, 2021

Loans in Pos.PlayerParent clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource DF Lucas Esteves Palmeiras One-year loan with an option to buy August 6, 2021 June 2022

SuperDraft

Draft picks are not automatically signed to the team roster. Only those who are signed to a contract will be listed as transfers in. Only trades involving draft picks and executed after the start of the 2021 MLS SuperDraft will be listed in the notes.

DatePlayerPositionPrevious clubNotesRef January 21, 2020 Philip Mayaka MF Clemson Colorado traded the 6th overall pick in the 2021 SuperDraft and $200,000 in GAM to the Houston Dynamo in exchange for the 3rd overall pick, used to select Mayaka.

Out Pos.PlayerTransferred toFee/notesDateSourceFW Niki Jackson San Diego LoyalContract Option declinedDecember 14, 2020DF Abdul Rwatubyaye KF ShkupiContract Option declinedDecember 14, 2020DF Deklan Wynne Phoenix RisingContract Option declinedDecember 14, 2020DF Sam Vines Royal AntwerpTransfer Fee not disclosedAugust 5, 2021FW Nicolas Benezet Seattle Sounders FCColorado receives $50,000 in general allocation moneyAugust 5, 2021

Loans out Pos.PlayerLoanee clubLength/NotesBeginningEndSource MF Philip Mayaka Colorado Springs Switchbacks Duration of USL Championship season March 24, 2021 November 6, 2021 GK Andre Rawls Phoenix Rising FC Duration of USL Championship season March 24, 2021 November 6, 2021 DF Jeremy Kelly Phoenix Rising FC Recalled by the Rapids March 24, 2021 July 1, 2021 DF Sebastian Anderson Colorado Springs Switchbacks Duration of USL Championship season March 24, 2021 November 6, 2021 GK Abraham Rodriguez Colorado Springs Switchbacks Duration of USL Championship season March 24, 2021 November 6, 2021 FW Matt Hundley Colorado Springs Switchbacks Duration of USL Championship season March 24, 2021 November 6, 2021 DF Michael Edwards Colorado Springs Switchbacks Duration of USL Championship season March 24, 2021 November 6, 2021

See also Colorado Rapids 2021 in American soccer 2021 Major League Soccer season

References