The 2021 Real Salt Lake season was the team's 17th year of existence, and their 17th consecutive season in Major League Soccer, the top division of the American soccer pyramid. RSL entered the 2021 season looking to rebound from a tumultuous 2020 season, having finished near the bottom of the table and endured the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic continued to have a significant impact on MLS in 2021, causing the season's start to be delayed to mid-April instead of the traditional first weekend in March, a reworked schedule that focused heavily on intra-conference play to reduce travel, and stadiums at reduced capacity. The state of Utah allowed RSL to open the season with Rio Tinto Stadium at 50% capacity. The 2021 Major League Soccer season began on April 16, 2021, though RSL did not begin their season until the following week, April 24, having had a bye in the opening weekend due to the odd number of teams in MLS in 2021.
RSL's offseason was marked by the retirements of several key players, including long time captain Kyle Beckerman. The club's ownership was also in question, as Dell Loy Hansen had agreed to sell the club following allegations of racism directed at club players and employees. The pending sale of the club resulted in a relatively quiet offseason on the signing front, with most of the clubs new signings coming from the club's own USL Championship team, Real Monarchs.
RSL entered the season with low expectations, with most pre-season projections predicting a near last place finish. Despite this, RSL opened the season with two straight wins, including a road win at Minnesota. They would go on to spend much of the spring and summer hovering at or just above the playoff line. In a surprising move, head coach Freddy Juarez departed the club on August 27 to take a position as an assistant coach to Brian Schmetzer in Seattle. Assistant coach Pablo Mastroeni took over the head coaching position on an interim basis. Under Mastroeni's leadership, the club saw mixed form, rarely winning or losing consecutive matches. RSL qualified for the 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs on the last matchday of the season, or "Decision Day," following a 1–0 road win against Sporting Kansas City. All-star forward Damir Kreilach scored the go-ahead goal in the 90+5" minute of the game, essentially saving the club's season with the final kick of the regular season. The result ensured RSL the 7th and final spot in the playoffs, subsequently eliminating the LA Galaxy, as RSL held the first points tiebreaker, total wins.
Competitions
Preseason
MLS regular season
April
June
July
August
September
October
November
Playoffs
Standings
Western Conference Table
Overall table
Results summary
U.S. Open Cup
Stats
Squad appearances and goals Last updated December 10, 2021.
! colspan="14" style="background:#A51E36; color:#DAAC27; text-align:center"|Goalkeepers
! colspan="14" style="background:#A51E36; color:#DAAC27; text-align:center"|Defenders
! colspan="14" style="background:#A51E36; color:#DAAC27; text-align:center"|Midfielders
! colspan="14" style="background:#A51E36; color:#DAAC27; text-align:center"|Forwards
Assists and Shutouts Stats from MLS Regular season, MLS playoffs, CONCACAF Champions league, and U.S. Open Cup are all included. First tie-breaker for assists and shutouts is minutes played.
+ Assists Rank Player Nation Assists Matches Played Minutes played1 Aaron Herrera 11 29 25142 Albert Rusnák 11 34 30453 Damir Kreilach 9 33 28754 Jonathan Menéndez 5 17 8905 Justin Meram 5 31 13986 Rubio Rubin 5 34 22387 Pablo Ruíz 4 29 20668 Andrew Brody 2 16 10789 Maikel Chang 2 28 108510 Donny Toia 2 19 132311 Bobby Wood 1 17 61812 Anderson Julio 1 30 101613 Nick Besler 1 27 164314 Everton Luiz 1 25 1662
+ Shutouts Rank Player Nation Shutouts Matches Played Minutes played 1 David Ochoa 5 25 2250 2 Zac MacMath 2 7 585 3 Andrew Putna 0 3 225
Club
Roster Age calculated as of December 4, 2021 (The club's final matchday of the season) ,
No. Name Nationality Positions Date of birth (age) Signed from Seasons with club (year signed) 1 David Ochoa (HGP) GK Real Salt Lake Academy (HGP) 3 (2019) 2 Andrew Brody DF Real Monarchs 1 (2021) 3 Ashtone Morgan DF Toronto FC 2 (2020) 4 Donny Toia DF Orlando City SC 4 (2011, 2019) 6 Pablo Ruíz MF San Luis 4 (2018) 7 Bobby Wood FW Hamburger SV 1 (2021) 8 Damir Kreilach MF Union Berlin 4 (2018) 9 Justin Meram MF Atlanta United FC 2 (2020) 10 Jonathan Menéndez FW Independiente 1 (2021) 11 Albert Rusnák (DP) MF FC Groningen 5 (2017) 12 Douglas Martínez FW Real Monarchs 3 (2019) 13 Nick Besler MF Real Monarchs 5 (2017) 14 Rubio Rubin FW San Diego Loyal SC 1 (2021) 15 Justen Glad (HGP) DF Real Salt Lake Academy (HGP) 8 (2014) 16 Maikel Chang MF Real Monarchs 2 (2020) 17 Chris Garcia (HGP) FW Real Salt Lake Academy (HGP) 2 (2020) 18 Zac MacMath GK Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 (2020) 19 Bode Davis FW Real Monarchs 1 (2021) 20 Erik Holt (HGP) DF Real Salt Lake Academy (HGP) 3 (2019) 21 Tate Schmitt (HGP) FW Real Salt Lake Academy (HGP) 3 (2019) 22 Aaron Herrera (HGP) DF Real Salt Lake Academy (HGP) 4 (2018) 23 Milan Iloski (HGP) FW Real Salt Lake Academy (HGP) 2 (2020) 24 Jeff Dewsnup (HGP) GK Real Salt Lake Academy (HGP) 1 (2021) 25 Everton Luiz MF S.P.A.L. 3 (2019) 26 Noah Powder DF Real Monarchs 1 (2021) 27 Bret Halsey (GA) DF Virginia Cavaliers 1 (2021) 28 Jeizon Ramírez (DP) FW Deportivo Táchira F.C. 2 (2020) 29 Anderson Julio MF Atlético San Luis (on loan) 1 (2021) 30 Marcelo Silva DF Real Zaragoza 5 (2017) 32 Zack Farnsworth (HGP) DF Real Salt Lake Academy (HGP) 1 (2021) 43 Justin Portillo MF Real Monarchs 3 (2019) 44 Toni Datković DF Aris Thessaloniki 1 (2021) 51 Andrew Putna GK Real Monarchs 4 (2018)
Transfers
In Player Position Previous ClubFees/Notes DateNotesRef. Bode Davis FW Real Monarchs Free transfer September 22, 2020 Noah Powder DF Real Monarchs Free transfer September 24, 2020 Andrew Brody DF Real Monarchs Free transfer September 25, 2020 Rubio Rubin FW San Diego Loyal SC Undisclosed January 7, 2021 Jeff Dewsnup GK RSL Academy Homegrown player January 7, 2021 Bobby Wood FW Hamburger SV Undisclosed April 2, 2021 Joined Club on June 3, 2021 Jonathan Menéndez FW Independiente Undisclosed May 29, 2021 Toni Datković DF Aris Thessaloniki Undisclosed June 2, 2021 Zack Farnsworth DF RSL Academy Homegrown Player June 16, 2021
MLS Drafts Player Position Acquired FromFees/Notes DateRef. Bret Halsey DF Virginia Cavaliers SuperDraft, 1st Round, Pick 7 January 21, 2021 Elijah Amo MF Louisville Cardinals SuperDraft, 2nd Round, Pick 34 January 21, 2021 Aris Briggs FW Georgia State Panthers SuperDraft, 3nd Round, Pick 61 January 21, 2021 Rene White FW NJIT Highlanders SuperDraft, Compensatory Pick, Pick 84 January 21, 2021
Out Player Position Next ClubFees/Notes Date Sam Johnson FW Sabah Mutual Agreement October 31, 2020 Nedum Onuoha DF Retired November 8, 2020 Luke Mulholland MF Retired November 8, 2020 Alvin Jones DF Option Declined November 30, 2020 Luis Arriaga MF North Carolina FC Option Declined November 30, 2020 Giuseppe Rossi FW SPAL Option Declined November 30, 2020 Julián Vázquez FW Las Vegas Lights Option Declined November 30, 2020 Kyle Beckerman MF Retired December 21, 2020 Corey Baird FW Los Angeles FC $500,000 + int'l roster spot January 11, 2021
Notes
Loans
In Player Position Loaned FromFees/Notes Date Anderson Julio FW Atlético San Luis Loan for entire 2021 season March 12, 2021
Out Player Position Loaned ToFees/Notes Date Tate Schmitt FW Phoenix Rising Loan for the remainder of the 2021 season June 10, 2021 Chris Garcia FW Ljungskile SK Loan for the entire 2021 Superettan season (Nov 2021) August 10, 2021 Douglas Martínez FW San Diego Loyal Loan for the remainder of the 2021 season August 23, 2021
Trialist
Player Position Previous teamNotesDateResult
References