Throughout much of his D.C. United career, which began in 2014, Kofi Opare has been primarily viewed as a backup by Head Coach Ben Olsen. Even in 2017, when Opare played in a career high 26 MLS games, his inclusion only came after the experiment of Sean Franklin as a center back did not work out well. So even after Opare was named United’s Defensive MVP in a disappointing 2017, United went out in the offseason, and brought in Frederic Brillant to compete for a center back spot.
Brillant won the battle between the veteran MLS center backs, lining up alongside Steven Birnbaum as the Black-and-Red began life in 2018 on the road.