The story of a Club is best chronicled through eras. You hear it all the time in professional sports; the history of a team is shared in chapters, usually named after the head coach, an all-star player, or another defining characteristic of a team’s success in any given period of time. When the story of Real Salt Lake is being told, there is little doubt that the era we are in now will be defined by one player.
Justen Glad.
On Saturday, June 17 at Audi Field against D.C. United, Real Salt Lake’s poster boy made his 200th appearance, making him the first Homegrown player in Club history to appear in 200 MLS matches.
Saturday’s milestone is just another addition to a career filled with firsts for Justen Glad.
- The Academy
Glad’s journey with Real Salt Lake began in 2012 in Tucson, Arizona as a member of the RSL-AZ Academy U-16 team. His game-winning goal in the 2012-13 U.S. Soccer Developmental Academy National Championship solidified his team’s status as the first RSL Academy squad to win the title.
- Real Monarchs
He signed his first professional contract with the Club on April 7, 2014 making him the seventh Homegrown player in RSL history. The following day Glad scored his first professional goal for then-USL side Real Monarchs in a 1-1 draw, the first-ever goal scored at home in the Monarchs inaugural season.
- Playing with the Big Boys
On August 9, 2014 Glad was named to RSL’s 18-player squad for the first time in his career. Although he did not feature in that game which saw the Claret-and-Cobalt shutout D.C. United 3-0, he was present to witness Club pillar Nick Rimando record his 113th clean sheet, setting an MLS record which he still holds. The following season on May 30, 2015 Glad made his first appearance for RSL, picking up a yellow card in a 2-1 loss at Vancouver.
- Scorin’ Bangers
Flashforward to April 2, 2016. Real Salt Lake take down rivals Sporting Kansas City 2-1, snapping a six-game losing streak at Children’s Mercy Park. RSL opened the scoring in the 29th minute when Justen Glad headed home a freekick from RSL legend Joao Plata, the first career goal for the Homegrown defender.
- Century Mark
On July 13, 2019 Glad made his 100th appearance for the Claret-and-Cobalt, the first Homegrown player to reach the century mark. The result of the match lived up to the occasion with Glad playing a full 90 minutes, heading RSL’s defense in a 4-0 demolition of the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Union.
- MVP
In 2022 Glad started all 26 matches he played in, moving his career total to 183 appearances, the most with the Club for any active player on the roster and eighth all-time in team history by the end of the season. He scored a career-high three goals, all of which came in RSL wins (March 12 at NE, May 22 at MTL, May 28 vs HOU). Glad was voted as the Club’s Most Valuable Player by his teammates, becoming the first Homegrown Player in Club history to win the award and the first U.S.-born player to win it since Kyle Beckerman in 2016.
- El Capitán
Through nine seasons as a professional, Glad has established himself as a steady and sure presence in the RSL defense. That leadership was rewarded on April 1st this year when Glad was given the captain’s armband before a match against the Columbus Crew. Walking out of the tunnel that night at Lower.com Field with the armband wrapped securely around his bicep, Glad became the first Homegrown player to captain the team during an MLS match.
- 200 Appearances
And finally, Mr. 200. His benchmark appearance was about as typical of a Justen Glad performance as you’ll see. He led the team in accurate pass percentage over 90 minutes and made a clinical tackle in the dying minutes, leading the backline to close out a scrappy 2-1 road win at Audi Field. A few moments were shared amongst teammates and staff during the post game celebrations congratulating the defender on reaching 200, but Glad’s team-first mentality meant that the smiles were more an appreciation for the match result and less a reflection of his own achievement.
In more ways than one, Glad has been a trailblazer for the Club across a multitude of frontiers, beginning with his academy days to captaining the squad earlier this season and everything in between. His professional journey runs concurrently with RSL’s story, defining an era. From Club icon’s like Rimando, Beckerman, and Plata to the up-and-coming Homegrown talent like Bode Hidalgo and Diego Luna, the one constant has been Justen Glad, the link to the Club’s past and the bridge to its future.
