Matt Polster

Updated February 20, 2026

MATT POLSTER AT A GLANCE:

• Defensive midfielder owns 243 MLS appearances, 220 starts, 10 goals, 19 assists, and over 19,000 minutes played across 10 seasons with Chicago (2015-2018) and New England (2020-present).
• In 2025, netted one goal with two assists over 26 games played, all starts.
• Played over 30 games in 2021, 2023, and 2024 for the Revolution.
• Joined New England in July 2020 after playing 10 games for Rangers FC in Scotland, including UEFA Europa League Qualifying action.
• Drafted seventh overall by Chicago in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and went on to record 82 appearances for the Fire.
• Capped once by the United States Men’s National Team in 2018.

MLS CAREER: Midfielder entering 11th MLS season and seventh with the Revolution…Spent first four seasons in Chicago after being selected seventh overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft…Career totals include 243 MLS appearances, 220 starts, 10 goals scored, and 19 assists across over 19,000 minutes played…Owns eight appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs, all starts, with 708 minutes played…Has played an additional 10 matches in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, including seven starts…Also owns seven appearances, all starts, in Concacaf Champions Cup action...In 2025, started all 26 appearances, tallying one goal and two assists…Matched career high with 31 games played, all starts, in 2024...Started all five of his 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup appearances…Made 31 starts in 2023 with two goals and two assists…Also started both MLS Cup Playoff matches…Logged three appearances, with two starts, in Leagues Cup 2023, recording one assist…Made 28 appearances in MLS play during the 2022 season, notching two goals and two assists…In 2021, appeared in 30 games with two goals scored over 2,279 minutes played…Helped lead Revolution to Supporters' Shield title...Made 15 MLS appearances in 2020 and recorded two assists…Added four postseason starts…Played three matches in 2018, missing the majority of the year with a knee injury…Suited up for 22 matches in 2017, setting a career high with seven assists…Appeared in 27 matches during the 2016 season, scoring a career-high two goals along with a pair of assists…Made 30 appearances and 27 starts during 2015 rookie season in Chicago.

2025: Started all 26 appearances, tallying one goal and two assists…Ranked fifth on the team in minutes played (2,520) and tied for fifth in games started (26)…Re-signed to a multi-year contract through 2027 MLS season on May 16, 2025…(3/15) at NYC: Made season debut after missing first three matches with an injury…(4/5) at CIN: Recorded a season-high three shot attempts…(4/26) at CLT: Marked 200th MLS start…(5/10) at ORL: Tallied first goal of the season, a first-half equalizer…(5/31) at MTL: Credited with first assist of the campaign…(7/5) at POR: Made 150th MLS appearance for New England…(7/16) at RBNY: Made 175th Revolution appearance across all competitions…(7/25) vs. MTL: Credited with secondary assist on opening goal…Second assist of the campaign…(8/23) at CLB: Eclipsed 19,000 career minutes played in MLS…Started and played all 90 minutes in the 2-1 victory…(10/4) at MIA: Played all 90 minutes in final appearance of the 2025 campaign.

2024: Appeared in 31 regular season matches, all starts, with one assist in 2024…Led the team in games started (31) and minutes played (2,642)…Matched single-season career high in games played…Surpassed 2,500 minutes played for the second consecutive season…Started all five of his Concacaf Champions Cup appearances...Also made starts in Leagues Cup 2024, wearing the captains’ armband for all three matches…(2/24) at DC: Tallied first assist of the campaign…(3/6) vs. LDA: Donned captain’s armband in Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 tie…(4/20) at TOR: Became 29th Revolution player to log 10,000 minutes in all competitions for the club…(5/4) at CHI: Surpassed 15,000 MLS minutes played…(5/11) at RBNY: Marked 100th MLS start for New England…(6/1) at NSH: Recorded 175th MLS start in team’s 2-1 win on the road…(6/8) vs. RBNY: Suited up for 200th MLS appearance…Helped club to a 1-0 shutout win…(9/7) vs. STL: Surpassed 2,000 minutes played for the fourth consecutive season…(10/12) at CLB: Eclipsed 2,500 minutes played for the second straight season…(10/19) vs. MIA: Finished the season with a 90-minute performance at Inter Miami.

2023: Made 31 appearances, all starts, with two goals and two assists in regular season play…Netted one game-winning goal…Accurately completed 88.1 percent of pass attempts…Ranked second on the team in minutes played and third in games played…Made two additional appearances in the MLS Cup Playoffs…(2/25) at CLT: Made season debut, creating three chances, a new Revolution-career high...(3/12) at LAFC: Wore captain’s armband for first time with the club…(3/25) at DC: Surpassed 12,000 minutes played in MLS…(5/13) at MCF: Tallied first assist of the season in a 90-minute effort...(6/10) vs. MCF: Scored first goal of the campaign...(6/24) vs. TOR: Made 150th MLS start and 100th appearance for Revolution…(7/12) at ATL: Notched second goal of the season in 90-minute performance…(8/7) vs. QRO: Notched a game-tying assist in the Leagues Cup Round of 16…(8/30) vs. RBNY: Selected to MLS Team of the Matchday for a clean-sheet performance in second start of the season at right back…(9/9) at MIN: Tallied second assist of the season…(9/30) vs. CLT: Made 100th appearance in MLS play for New England…(10/21) vs. PHI: Made 100th start for the club across all competitions…Postseason: (11/8) vs. PHI: Completed 67 of 69 passes in eighth postseason start.

2022: Made 28 MLS appearances and 24 starts, notching two goals and two assists across 2,116 minutes…Added two appearances, both starts, in Concacaf Champions League play, logging 180 minutes…(2/26) at POR: Made season debut in a 90-minute effort, recording two shots…(4/16) vs. CLT: Registered the first goal-and-assist performance of his career, finishing his 90-minute outing with two shots on target…(4/30) vs. MCF: Registered game-winning assist and one shot on target in a 72-minute effort, completing 93.4 percent of his passes...(7/30) vs. TOR: Made 50th start for the Revolution…(8/6) at ORL: Netted second goal of the season, a game winner…(8/31) vs. CHI: Notched 150th MLS appearance, doing so against his former club…(9/17) vs. MTL: Registered team highs in tackles won (three), duels won (five), and interceptions (three) while completing 38 of 42 passes in a 90-minute effort.

2021: Appeared in 30 games, including 27 starts, with two goals in 2,279 minutes played…Helped lead Revolution to club's first Supporters' Shield title with 73 regular season points, then a new league record...Matched his career highs in appearances, starts, and goals scored…Made one additional start in the MLS Cup Playoffs, logging a 90-minute performance in the Eastern Conference Semifinal…(4/17) at CHI: Started and played 90 minutes in the season opener…(4/24) vs. DC: Registered 10th start with the Revolution and played 90 minutes in the 1-0 win…(5/1) vs. ATL: Recorded 100th MLS appearance in the 2-1 win…(5/29) at CIN: Posted a game-high eight tackles and played 90 minutes in central midfield in the 1-0 away win…(6/19) at NYC: Logged fourth consecutive 90-minute performance…(7/17) at ATL: Recorded two shots over 90 minutes in the 1-0 road win…(8/8) vs. PHI: Scored first goal of the season, his first in a Revolution uniform, in 2-1 win…(9/3) at PHI: Played all 90 minutes and netted the game-winning goal…Marked 100th MLS start…Earned MLS Team of the Week honors…(9/25) vs. ORL: Surpassed 9,000 minutes played in MLS…(9/29) at MTL: Started and played 88 minutes in the 4-1 win on the road…(10/20) at DC: Collected his 125th appearance in MLS…(11/7) vs. MCF: Played all 90 minutes in the final match of the regular season on Decision Day…Postseason: (11/30) vs. NYC: Started and played 90 minutes in the Eastern Conference Semifinal…Surpassed 500 postseason minutes played.

2020: Signed by the Revolution on July 8, 2020 following his transfer from Scottish Premiership club Rangers FC…Made 15 appearances, including eight starts, and registered two assists over 756 minutes of action…Added four starts in the MLS Cup Playoffs, helping New England reach the Eastern Conference Final…(8/20) vs. PHI: Made Revolution debut with 90-minute performance in 0-0 draw…(8/25) at DC: Started in the 2-1 away win...(10/14) at MTL: Started and played all 90 minutes in 3-2 win…Registered his first assist with New England…(10/19) vs. PHI: Logged assist for the second consecutive match in 2-1 defeat…Postseason: (11/20) vs. MTL: Started and played 90 minutes in 2-1 win in Play-In Round…(11/24) at PHI: Registered second straight 90-minute performance in clean-sheet win over the Supporters’ Shield winners in Round One…(11/29) at ORL: Started and played 78 minutes in 3-1 win in Conference Semifinal…(12/6) at CLB: Made fifth career postseason appearance in the Eastern Conference Final, a 1-0 defeat.

2018 (with Chicago): Missed most of the season recovering from an MCL injury…Played in three matches, starting once, for a total of 126 minutes…Recorded one assist…(3/10) vs. SKC: Started and played 89 minutes in a 4-3 loss, recording his lone assist of the season in the 82nd minute…Underwent knee surgery in May after sustaining an MCL tear in training and missed the next four months of play…(10/21) at ATL: Made his first appearance in over seven months as a second-half substitute…(10/28) vs. DC: Played the final 20 minutes of a 0-0 draw.

2017 (with Chicago): Missed the opening nine games of the season due to injury…Played in 22 matches during the MLS regular season, starting 21...Recorded a career-high seven assists along with one goal across 1,769 minutes…Also played in two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup matches…(5/13) vs. SEA: Made season debut, coming on as a substitute for the final 19 minutes of a 4-1 win…(5/17) vs. COL: Made first start of the season, playing all 90 minutes...Recorded first assist of the year in the 57th minute…(6/24) vs. ORL: Added first game-winning assist in the third minute of the 4-0 win…(6/28) vs. CIN: Played career-high 120 minutes in the U.S. Open Cup defeat…(7/1) vs. VAN: Recorded two assists in a 4-0 victory, setting up goals in the 14th and 25th minutes…(8/5) vs. NE: Scored first and only goal of the season…(9/2) at MTL: Assisted on the game-winning tally...(9/23) at PHI: Tallied an assist in the second half…(9/27) at SJ: Recorded an assist in the 14th minute of a 4-1 win, helping Chicago clinch a postseason berth…Postseason: (10/25) vs. NY: Made MLS postseason debut, playing 90 minutes...Recorded a game-high three shot attempts.

2016 (with Chicago): Played in 27 games, starting 24, during the regular season...Appeared in three additional matches during the club’s run to the U.S. Open Cup semifinals…Scored two goals and added two assists across 2,107 minutes in MLS play…(3/11) at ORL: Suffered a career-high four fouls, playing the full 90 minutes in a 1-1 draw…(7/31) vs. NY: Scored first MLS goal on a diving header in a 2-2 draw, a goal that was later voted the Chicago Fire’s goal of the year…(8/14) vs. ORL: Recorded first MLS assist, setting up a John Goosens tally in the sixth minute of a 2-2 draw…(8/20) at MTL: Scored second goal of the season in the 89th minute of a 3-0 victory…(9/23) at NYC: Recorded second assist of the season on a goal by Luis Solignac in the 35th minute of a 4-1 defeat.

2015 (with Chicago): Selected seventh overall in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft, signing with Chicago on Feb. 4, 2015…Appeared in 30 matches, starting 27, with four additional games played in the 2015 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup…Logged 2,422 minutes as a rookie…(3/6) at LA: Made MLS debut, coming on as a substitute for the final 27 minutes…(3/14) vs. VAN: Logged first MLS start, playing 59 minutes in a 1-0 loss and earning his first yellow card as a pro…(3/22) at SJ: Played 90 minutes for the first time in MLS…(4/24) vs. NYC: Recorded two shots on target in a 1-0 win…(10/25) vs. NY: Recorded three shot attempts, one on target, in the season finale.

CLUB CAREER OUTSIDE OF MLS: Transferred to Rangers FC in Scotland after a successful trial in December 2018...Totaled 10 games played, including three starts, in the Scottish Premiership during the 2019-20 season…Made Rangers debut on April 20, 2019 against Heart of Midlothian FC…Started and played all 90 minutes of a 6-0 victory over Gibraltan side St. Joseph’s FC in the second leg of the UEFA Europa League’s first qualifying round…Made only Scottish League Cup appearance in a 3-0 win over East Fife on Aug. 18, 2019, playing the full 90 minutes at right back…Made his 2019-20 season debut on Oct. 6, 2019 in a 5-0 win over Hamilton Academical, playing the final 26 minutes as a substitute…Made additional substitute appearances in a 2-0 win over a Motherwell (12/16/19) and in a 2-1 loss to Hearts (01/26/20)…Was an unused substitute on three occasions during the 2019-20 Rangers season…Logged three starts for Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, doing so for the first time at right back in a 2-0 win over Ross County on Jan. 29, 2020…Started the following match at right back in a 0-0 draw against Aberdeen FC on Feb. 1, 2020, playing 83 minutes…Made his final start at right back for Rangers, a 1-0 win over Ross County on Mar. 8, 2020…Appeared as a substitute in the first leg of the UEFA Europa League Round of 16, playing the final five minutes of a 3-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen (GER) in his final appearance for the club…Played for the Chicago Fire U-23 squad during the summer of 2014 in the Premier Development League (now USL League Two)…Made four appearances for the Victoria Highlanders of the Pacific Coast Soccer League in 2013.

INTERNATIONAL (UNITED STATES): Participated in the senior national team's annual January Camp in 2016…Called into USMNT camp again in January 2018...Earned senior international debut against Bosnia and Herzegovina in a 0-0 draw...Selected to the U.S. Under-23 team at the Concacaf Olympic Qualifying tournament in 2016...Started all five matches for the United States in the competition.

COLLEGE CAREER (SIU EDWARDSVILLE): Tallied six goals and 12 assists in 79 matches, all starts, during four-year career at Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville…Selected to the 2014 NSCAA All-West Region First Team and the 2014 NSCAA Scholar All-America First Team…Won the Missouri Valley Conference Defender of the Year Award in senior season...Named to the MVC All-Tournament team for the third straight year…Tied career high with three goals as a senior over 21 matches, all starts...Added a pair of assists…Named to the preseason watch-list for the MAC Hermann Trophy as a junior…Started all 19 games in his junior season, finishing the year with a team-high four assists and ranking second on the team with 21 shots…Earned selections to the 2013 NSCAA All-Region Third Team, All-MVC First Team, and MVC All-Tournament team…Started 19 games at center back as a sophomore, earning First Team NSCAA All-Region and First Team All-MVC honors, and a selection to the MVC All-Tournament team…Named 2011 MVC Freshman of the Year, scoring three goals, and led the team with six assists…Earned 2011 All-MVC Honorable Mention…Scored first game-winning goal in the 84th minute against UMKC on Nov. 4, 2011…Finished second on the team with 35 shot attempts as a freshman.

PERSONAL: Full name is Matthew Ryan Polster…Born in Milwaukee, Wisc. and raised in Las Vegas, Nev. ...Married his wife, Brittany, on Jan. 4, 2020 in his hometown of Las Vegas…Met while he played for the Chicago Fire...The couple has a daughter, Primm, and a son, Rocky…Avid golfer and video gamer...Majored in finance while at SIU-Edwardsville…Completed high school soccer career at Palo Verde High School with 24 goals and 12 assists, including 10 goals and an assist as a senior...Named the 2010-11 Gatorade Nevada Boys Soccer Player of the Year...Helped Palo Verde to a 13-2-3 record as a senior and a spot in the Class 4A Sunset Region semifinals...Member of the U.S. Youth Soccer Region IV Olympic Development Squad in 2010...Two-time All-4A South Nevada and All-4A Sunset Region player...Began playing youth soccer for the Downtown Las Vegas Soccer Club...Played one season for the Colorado Rapids Academy in 2010-11.