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The center back position has gone from a significant weakness to a major strength for the Chicago Fire almost overnight.
Plagued by inconsistency and injuries, the Fire's central defenders were a point of sensitivity for most of 2025. While Jack Elliott played nearly every minute of the season on the left side of the defensive pairing, a rotating cast of Carlos Terán, Sam Rogers, Omar González, and Christopher Cupps meant that the backline never found much of a rhythm until the addition of Joel Waterman and a switch to a back five, adding some stability.
Now, with the winter signing of South African international defender Mbekezeli Mbokazi, the narrative seemed poised to completely flip from where it was just six months ago. The biggest question is how to fit the pieces together.
To three or not to three
Though the addition of Waterman just before the August trade deadline did add experience and coolness to the defensive group, Head Coach Gregg Berhalter's decision to switch to a three-center back formation in mid-September was just as responsible for the improved back line. In the final weeks of the season, as well as in the playoffs, the Fire utilized both a traditional back four (4-3-3/4-2-3-1) and a much more compact back five (usually a 5-2-3 with two half-wingers occupying the space under Hugo Cuypers).
Unsurprisingly, Berhalter – who views the switch to a back five as the Fire's key turning point in 2025 – will experiment with both shapes again in the new year.
"I think the pivotal moment was when we incorporated the 3-4-3," Berhalter told MIR97 Media this week. "It gave us flexibility. We had problems when teams would load up a line with five players against our back four. Simply making that switch made our backline more comfortable and helped us on set pieces. It gave us an interesting offensive structure at times."
Further supporting the case for a three-center back orientation is the differing skill sets in the Fire's defensive group. Mbokazi's shorter but physical frame – as well as left-footedness – adds a new dimension alongside Elliott and Waterman. At least to start the year, that trio will likely compete for between two and three places in the eleven, depending on the formation, something that could shift from game-to-game based on matchups.
"I generally like to introduce another formation in the second year of working with a team," Berhalter said. "It's important in general to have that tactical flexibilty. There's certainly a place for a back three at times."
Mbokazi enters the fray
The Fire's offseason pickup driving the most buzz – at least globally – is that of the aforementioned Bafana Bafana defender Mbokazi. The former Orlando Pirates captain joined the team in a multi-million-dollar U-22 Initiative deal, making him one of the highest-paid players on the roster and reflecting the club's big faith in his future as a star in MLS.
The African leagues aren't a typical place for American clubs to look for such valuable positions on the roster, and while Mbokazi is a prospect known throughout the continent as a top talent, he is still something of an anomaly within MLS.
"It was pretty straightforward," Berhalter said of the process of pursuing Mbokazi. "We've been scouting him for a while. I have a friend who's a sporting director of a top team there; I called him for a reference, and he said he's an absolute top player."
"We watched a ton of games. We had a call with the player. We were able to understand him as a person, but most importantly his quality. He came to Chicago, we were able to show him the training ground, show him the environment that we're building. And he was excited about it. He believes that this is a great step in his career."
It's difficult to imagine a world in which Mbokazi doesn't quickly establish himself as a starter. The 20-year-old went toe-to-toe with some of the best attacking players in the world at the recent African Cup of Nations, including Mo Salah, Bryan Mbeumo, and Omar Marmoush. In a back three, Mbokazi's name would be written in marker into the left center back spot, while in a back four, he'd still be expected to start once he establishes himself within the squad.
Though Mbokazi did play some minutes at left back during AFCON and stands at just 5'11" (1.80 m) tall, Berhalter says they view him just as left center back right now, whether in a back three or back four. The Fire are also now quite strong at left back, with Andrew Gutman completing one of his best MLS seasons to date in 2025 and new Serbian signing Viktor Radojević also providing backup.
"He's comfortable on the ball, dynamic in tackles," Berhalter said of Mbokazi. "Aggressive in the air even though he's not the tallest. Able to cover the space behind him. For a 20-year-old, he's got a lot of potential."
"I believe that when you're playing against players like Messi, Son, and Bouanga, the quality we have in this league, it will prepare you for any league in the world. We have a very clear way we want to play, and defenders have a lot of the ball and are asked to do a lot of difficult things. I'm confident that's going to help develop him and prepare him for the World Cup."
Cupps' role
The center back battle may be complicated this season by the Fire's other exciting young talent. If Mbokazi is South Africa's best young center back prospect, Christopher Cupps is arguably the United States' most exciting, at least domestically in MLS. The 17-year-old homegrown player earned four starts in an injury-riddled 2025, including a debut at just 16, and ended the year by captaining the U.S. at the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar.
Mbokazi's arrival potentially complicates Cupps' rapid rise from an unsigned Notre Dame-commit 12 months ago to now an MLS squad player. It's less obvious how the still-very-inexperienced Lincoln Park native will find a pathway to first team minutes this season. Nonetheless, Berhalter expects him to have a role, and it's something that could expand if he continues to develop at the rate he has been over the last two seasons.
"(Christopher) is a young player, he needs time, but also needs opportunities," Berhalter said. "He's another young player with a ton of potential. I can't say the exact number of games he's going to play, but we hope that it's in the double digits. A lot of it is going to be up to him and how he performs when he's on the field, but we don't see any reason why he can't get some game time."
While playing three center backs could open the door to minutes, so could potential fixture congestion throughout 2026. The Fire will be battling on three fronts this year, competing in the U.S. Open Cup and Leagues Cup in addition to MLS play. There will be plenty of minutes up for grabs in every position on the field, and a healthy race to start on the back line protecting Chris Brady's goal.
From an individual standpoint, Cupps remains a player to watch when he does get on the field. He shone for the U.S. this fall at the U-17 World Cup and is beginning to get attention outside the league, being recognized as a high-level prospect globally. If he can stay healthy and progress his development in the same way he has been, it's only a matter of time before top European scouts tuning in for Mbokazi keep an eye on Cupps as well.
