During the summer transfer window, Minnesota United’s front office leaders faced the challenge of convincing 22-year-old Australian midfielder Nectar Triantis that moving to MLS was the right step for his budding career. Triantis was already playing in Europe—a favored continent among players—albeit in a lower-level league. In a strategic move, Triantis, who is of Greek descent, requested and received FIFA approval to switch his international allegiance to Greece, should he receive a call-up.
The sales pitch from Loons Chief Soccer Officer Khaled El-Ahmad proved successful. With a $722,665 salary that ranks eighth highest on the roster, Triantis joined Minnesota as an Under-22 Initiative signing on a four-and-a-half-year contract. He has since made a strong impact.
“He’s got that typical Aussie self-assurance, I would say, and it’s not misplaced in any way,” said head coach Eric Ramsay. “He’s obviously a very capable guy, a very capable footballer. I think he’s really fixated on making sure that he hits the highest level possible.”
Soon after his arrival in August, Triantis became a regular in Ramsay’s defensive midfield. His first start came in a significant match: the U.S. Open Cup semifinal loss to Austin. He then started the final four MLS regular-season games and played in Game 1 of the MLS Cup Playoffs last Monday.
Minnesota won Game 1, and the best-of-three series now shifts to Seattle for Game 2, scheduled for 9:45 p.m. CST Monday at Lumen Field. For Triantis, this string of games should put him firmly on the radar for the Greece senior national team and underscores his self-belief in reaching the highest levels of his career.
“He’s got a real point to prove,” Ramsay said. “He’s not come here to stand still in any way. He really wants to progress. And he’s obviously got characteristics that really help us.”
Standing 6-foot-3, Ramsay described Triantis as “a bit of a destroyer in the middle,” but also a player who is composed on the ball, capable of dribbling around opponents and delivering line-breaking passes.
In Game 1 against Seattle, the Loons spent long periods defending in a low block. When regaining possession, they needed players strong enough to handle the ball in critical moments.
“You can just see his personality and desire to want to help the team win,” said midfield teammate Wil Trapp. “I think it’s been really impressive from the beginning. You always want guys to come in and do it in a way that feels like they have confidence, that they can affect the game. I think he has done that in spades from the beginning. It’s been really fun.”
Triantis previously spent two seasons on loan at Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership, from Sunderland, which was promoted to the English Premier League this season. The Loons paid a $2.5 million transfer fee to Southampton to bring Triantis to MLS—an investment that is already proving to be a bargain.
In addition to his defensive and connecting roles, Triantis has demonstrated goal-scoring ability. He scored from the halfway line in his Loons debut against San Diego in September and added another long-range goal two weeks later against Colorado.
During Game 1 versus Seattle, Triantis took several dangerous shots and confidently stepped up to the penalty-kick spot, scoring a PK inside the left post during the Loons’ 3-2 shootout victory.
Loons assistant coach Cam Knowles, who organizes the PK lineup, showed confidence in Triantis by placing him second behind top taker Kelvin Yeboah.
When asked if he was nervous, Triantis replied, “Not really.”
It showed.
https://www.twincities.com/2025/11/02/nectar-triantis-makes-impact-minnesota-united/