# Nikola Markovic (soccer)
**Nikola Marković** (Никола Марковић; born 2004) is a Canadian professional soccer player who plays as a defender, primarily center-back, for D.C. United of Major League Soccer. He was selected first overall by [D.C. United](https://www.edgepedia.org/d-c-united) in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft after two seasons at [North Carolina State University](https://www.edgepedia.org/north-carolina-state-university), becoming the second Canadian ever taken with the No. 1 pick, after [Cyle Larin](https://www.edgepedia.org/cyle-larin) in 2015.[1](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2026-mls-superdraft-recap-d-c-united-selects-defender-nikola-markovic-no-1-overall)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 2004, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada[2](https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/nikola-markovic/) |
| Position | Defender, center-back; 1.93 m (6 ft 4 in)[3](https://fbref.com/en/players/74a841d9/Nikola-Markovic) |
| Club | D.C. United, No. 27; joined December 18, 2025, contract to June 30, 2029 with a two-year club option[4](https://www.transfermarkt.us/nikola-markovic/profil/spieler/1492790) • [2](https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/nikola-markovic/) |
| Draft | No. 1 overall, 2026 MLS SuperDraft, from NC State; Generation adidas signing[1](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2026-mls-superdraft-recap-d-c-united-selects-defender-nikola-markovic-no-1-overall) |
| College record | 39 starts in 39 appearances, 3,411 minutes, 3 goals, 4 assists (2024–2025)[5](https://gopack.com/news/2025/12/18/mens-soccer-nikola-markovic-is-the-no-1-overall-pick-in-the-2026-mls-superdraft) |
| 2025 honors | ACC Defender of the Year, first-team All-American, MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, College Cup All-Tournament Team[5](https://gopack.com/news/2025/12/18/mens-soccer-nikola-markovic-is-the-no-1-overall-pick-in-the-2026-mls-superdraft) |
| 2026 with D.C. United | 20 appearances, 463 minutes, 1 assist in MLS; 1 goal in the US Open Cup[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/12769/nikola-markovic/career) |
## Background and youth career
Markovic was born in Gatineau, Quebec, to parents of Serbian descent and grew up in Canada.[1](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2026-mls-superdraft-recap-d-c-united-selects-defender-nikola-markovic-no-1-overall) His youth clubs were FC Gatineau, CS des Collines, and AS Gatineau.[4](https://www.transfermarkt.us/nikola-markovic/profil/spieler/1492790) He won gold with Quebec at the 2022 [Canada Games](https://www.edgepedia.org/canada-games), and at 18 he joined the [CF Montréal](https://www.edgepedia.org/cf-montreal) academy, spending a year and a half there and training at times with the first team.[7](https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/canadian-defender-nikola-markovic-making-mark-with-north-carolina-state/)
## College soccer at NC State
Markovic enrolled at North Carolina State University in 2024 and played two seasons for the Wolfpack as a center-back, starting all 39 of his appearances and totaling 3,411 minutes with 3 goals and 4 assists.[5](https://gopack.com/news/2025/12/18/mens-soccer-nikola-markovic-is-the-no-1-overall-pick-in-the-2026-mls-superdraft) In the 2024 NCAA Tournament he scored a headed golden goal in double overtime against Charlotte in the first round.[5](https://gopack.com/news/2025/12/18/mens-soccer-nikola-markovic-is-the-no-1-overall-pick-in-the-2026-mls-superdraft) • [7](https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/canadian-defender-nikola-markovic-making-mark-with-north-carolina-state/)
**2025 season.** As team captain, Markovic started 21 of the Wolfpack's 22 matches in a season in which N.C. State outscored opponents 48–9 and recorded an NCAA-best 15 shutouts in 23 games, including eight consecutive shutouts to start the season, the most to begin a season in the NCAA since Creighton in 2011.[1](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2026-mls-superdraft-recap-d-c-united-selects-defender-nikola-markovic-no-1-overall) • [5](https://gopack.com/news/2025/12/18/mens-soccer-nikola-markovic-is-the-no-1-overall-pick-in-the-2026-mls-superdraft) The team reached its second-ever NCAA College Cup. His individual honors that season included the 2025 ACC Defender of the Year, All-ACC First Team, first-team All-American (the program's first since 1992), All-South Region First Team, MAC Hermann Trophy semifinalist, and College Cup All-Tournament Team.[5](https://gopack.com/news/2025/12/18/mens-soccer-nikola-markovic-is-the-no-1-overall-pick-in-the-2026-mls-superdraft) • [1](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2026-mls-superdraft-recap-d-c-united-selects-defender-nikola-markovic-no-1-overall) He had also made the ACC All-Freshman Team in 2024.[5](https://gopack.com/news/2025/12/18/mens-soccer-nikola-markovic-is-the-no-1-overall-pick-in-the-2026-mls-superdraft)
## Professional career
Markovic signed a [Generation](https://www.edgepedia.org/generation) adidas contract ahead of the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, and on December 18, 2025, D.C. United selected him with the first overall pick. He became the first No. 1 selection in N.C. State history and the third top pick in D.C. United history, after [Freddy Adu](https://www.edgepedia.org/freddy-adu) (2004) and Alecko Eskandarian (2003).[1](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2026-mls-superdraft-recap-d-c-united-selects-defender-nikola-markovic-no-1-overall) As a Canadian, he joined Cyle Larin (2015) as the only Canadian players taken No. 1 overall in the draft's history.[1](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2026-mls-superdraft-recap-d-c-united-selects-defender-nikola-markovic-no-1-overall) His contract runs to June 30, 2029, with a two-year club option, and he wears No. 27 in a supplemental roster slot as a Generation adidas international.[4](https://www.transfermarkt.us/nikola-markovic/profil/spieler/1492790) • [2](https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/nikola-markovic/)
**2026 season.** In his first professional season, Markovic made 20 MLS appearances for D.C. United, playing 463 minutes with 1 assist, no goals, and 1 yellow card; he was used mostly as a substitute, coming on 17 times, and was on the bench 23 times.[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/12769/nikola-markovic/career) • [8](https://theanalyst.com/players/12769/nikola-markovic) In the 2026 US Open Cup he made one appearance, playing 120 minutes and scoring 1 goal.[6](https://theanalyst.com/players/12769/nikola-markovic/career) Statistical sites differ on his league totals for the season: FBref records 16 league appearances and 365 minutes,[3](https://fbref.com/en/players/74a841d9/Nikola-Markovic) while FootyStats records 17 appearances and 359 minutes with 5 clean sheets.[9](https://footystats.org/players/canada/nikola-markovic)
## Playing style
Markovic is a left-listed center-back whose size is his defining trait: at 6 ft 4 in and 205 pounds, [Sportsnet](https://www.edgepedia.org/sportsnet) described him as cutting "a commanding figure" at the heart of the N.C. State backline, and the Wolfpack's own social media dubbed him "Brick Wall" after a chase-and-tackle performance against North Carolina.[7](https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/canadian-defender-nikola-markovic-making-mark-with-north-carolina-state/) While his primary brief is stopping goals, he has contributed at the other end, notably with the 2024 NCAA tournament winner against Charlotte.[7](https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/canadian-defender-nikola-markovic-making-mark-with-north-carolina-state/)
## References
1. [2026 MLS SuperDraft Recap: D.C. United Selects Defender Nikola Markovic No. 1 Overall, MLSSoccer.com](https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/2026-mls-superdraft-recap-d-c-united-selects-defender-nikola-markovic-no-1-overall)
2. [Nikola Markovic, MLSSoccer.com player page](https://www.mlssoccer.com/players/nikola-markovic/)
3. [Nikola Marković, FBref](https://fbref.com/en/players/74a841d9/Nikola-Markovic)
4. [Nikola Marković, Transfermarkt](https://www.transfermarkt.us/nikola-markovic/profil/spieler/1492790)
5. [Nikola Markovic is the No. 1 Overall Pick in the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, NC State University Athletics](https://gopack.com/news/2025/12/18/mens-soccer-nikola-markovic-is-the-no-1-overall-pick-in-the-2026-mls-superdraft)
6. [Nikola Markovic Career History, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/12769/nikola-markovic/career)
7. [Canadian defender Nikola Markovic making mark with North Carolina State, Sportsnet](https://www.sportsnet.ca/soccer/article/canadian-defender-nikola-markovic-making-mark-with-north-carolina-state/)
8. [Nikola Markovic, Opta Analyst](https://theanalyst.com/players/12769/nikola-markovic)
9. [Nikola Markovic Stats, FootyStats](https://footystats.org/players/canada/nikola-markovic)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Association football › Football people and teams › People › Men's footballers of North and Central America and the Caribbean › Canada men's soccer players*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license