Without Nedum Onuoha in 2021, Real Salt Lake needed Marcelo Silva to step up, and he did. He started 20 matches for RSL and three more playoff matches, showing a steady (OK, sometimes recklessly forceful) presence on the back line, adding a veteran skill to the defense that saw many different variations in 2021.
Pablo Mastroeni did not have a three-person backline in mind with his technical scheme, however, RSL was forced into that a few times this season. At times, Silva seemed to be the lone center back. He rose to the occasion many times. In fact, he played a more controlled game with no red cards, and only two yellow cards on the season.