Robert Holding

Holding's current-season form is up 533% on last season (Season 6→38), while his Rating climbed 15→23. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 43).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2026/27	Colorado Rapids · 9th	27	0	1	6.76	26	38
2025/26	Colorado Rapids · 11th	6	0	0	7.15	15	6
2024/25	Sheffield UtdLoan · 3rd	11	0	1	7.06	42	7
2023/24	Crystal Palace	1	0	0	6.7	—	—
2022/23	Arsenal · 2nd	14	1	0	6.53	67	8

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 8 earlier seasons and 4 youth-team spells in the full career.

England · international

Side	Apps	G
England U21	1	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Experienced headCentral defender

R. Holding is a 31-year-old central defender at Colorado Rapids, enjoying a standout season — 0 goals and 1 assists in 27 appearances, a Season grade of 38, top 11% of Major League Soccer centre-backs. On long-term scout potential he's rated 22.8, ranking 381st of 525 in the Major League Soccer. A seasoned veteran, he has been a regular starter (78.1% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 3.46 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Holding.

Judged on this season alone, Holding graded 38 — an excellent campaign that ranks top 12% of the 127 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer, on 8 clean sheets and 3.458 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 6 → 38). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 23, 91st of 127 of the 127 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer. At 31 Holding is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 3.2 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2020/21 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2020/21Trending upBreakout: 2026/27

Current potential91st of 127 centre-backs · Major League Soccer Current seasonTop 12% centre-backs · Major League Soccer 14th-best centre-back in the Major League Soccer 381st in the Major League Soccer · potential 91st-highest potential centre-back in the Major League Soccer

22.8

Ratingi

91st of 127 centre-backs

37.9

Seasoni

developing / rotation level

78.1%

Minutes

a regular starter

3.46

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · Colorado Rapids finished 9th of 15 · a mid-table side

Apps

3.46

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

3.46 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 8 clean sheets across 27 appearances. Going forward he chipped in 0 goals and 1 assist — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Availability. On the pitch for 78.1% of available minutes — a dependable presence in the XI.

Watch points

Age curve. At 31, both level and resale value are on the downslope.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

With a Rating of 22.8, Holding carries the 91st-highest potential of the centre-backs in the Major League Soccer of 127. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (3.46 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90). Veteran phase — a short-term, lower-fee proposition as both level and value decline (0.9× and falling).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %78.1%

Available fixtures30 of 30

Goals / 900

Assists / 900.043

Goal contribution / 900.043

Defensive actions / 903.458

Player flow

Goal involvements1

Shot conversion %0

Shot accuracy %10

Pass accuracy %90

Dribble success %75

Cards / 900.256

Foul involvement / 900.683

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~7), then tapers with age. At 31, Holding sits on 3.2, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Holding's projected Rating — 22.8 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among centre-backs in the Major League Soccer with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals0

Shots on target1

Shots10

Passing

Assists1

Chances created7

Passes1,847

Pass accuracy90%

Possession

Successful dribbles6

Dribble success75%

Duels won81

Duels won %59.1%

Fouls won2

Defending

Tackles33

Interceptions34

Blocks14

Fouls committed14

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards4

Red cards2

Transfer history

€6.5M total transfer fees · 7 moves

Colorado RapidsAug 2025 – nowFree Transfer

Crystal Palace(back from loan)Jul 2025 – Aug 2025

SSheffield United(on loan)Feb 2025 – Jul 2025

Crystal PalaceSept 2023 – Feb 2025€ 1.5M

ArsenalJul 2016 – Sept 2023€ 5M

Bolton(back from loan)Jul 2015 – Jul 2016

BBury(on loan)Mar 2015 – Jul 2015

Boltonuntil Mar 2015

About R. Holding

Robert Samuel Holding is a 31-year-old centre-back who plays for Colorado Rapids, born on September 20, 1995 in Stalybridge, standing 189 cm tall. He is from England. Colorado Rapids currently sit 9th of 15 in the Major League Soccer.

This season

In the current season, R. Holding has made 27 appearances with 0 goals and 1 assist across 2,108 minutes, averaging a 6.92 match rating over his last 10 rated games, with 4 yellow cards.

When R. Holding plays, Colorado Rapids's record this season is 9W-6D-12L — and his match ratings average 7.07 at home against 6.5 on the road.

Recent matches

October 18, 2026: 0-0 draw away at Portland Timbers (45 minutes, 6.21 rating)
October 15, 2026: 2-2 draw at home vs Minnesota United FC (90 minutes, 6.69 rating)
October 11, 2026: 1-1 draw at home vs San Jose Earthquakes (90 minutes, 6.98 rating)
September 27, 2026: 2-3 loss away at Los Angeles Galaxy (83 minutes, 1 assist, 7.65 rating)
September 20, 2026: 3-3 draw at home vs Seattle Sounders (90 minutes, 7.2 rating)
September 13, 2026: 1-0 win at home vs CF Montreal (90 minutes, 7.47 rating)
September 10, 2026: 1-1 draw away at Austin (90 minutes, 6.93 rating)
September 5, 2026: 0-3 loss away at Columbus Crew (90 minutes, 6.66 rating)
August 30, 2026: 1-0 win at home vs Real Salt Lake (90 minutes, 7.7 rating)
August 23, 2026: 0-3 loss away at San Diego (90 minutes, 5.7 rating)

R. Holding's next match is on October 29, 2026, when Colorado Rapids face San Jose Earthquakes away in the Major League Soccer.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates R. Holding at 22.8 with a Season form score of 37.9, ranking 381st of 525 centre-backs in the Major League Soccer. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 19 career titles — among them the MLS All-Star and the Community Shield. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 13 recorded seasons, R. Holding has totalled 185 club appearances with 4 goals and 3 assists for 8 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2020/21, with 30 appearances for Arsenal.

R. Holding's career has also included time at Crystal Palace, SSheffield United, Arsenal, Bolton and BBury.

On the international stage, R. Holding has represented England U21 — 1 cap in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Performance data · by competition

Career

Scout report

Output in context · Colorado Rapids finished 9th of 15 · a mid-table side

Strengths

Watch points