Ali Adnan was heavily involved for Vancouver Whitecaps FC in 2020, and he was arguably the best attacking defender in MLS.
The Iraqi international led the 'Caps in touches, recoveries, and interceptions.
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Touches1 | ||
| 1 | Ali Adnan | 1,294 |
| 2 | Jake Nerwinski | 1,120 |
| 3 | Russell Teibert | 886 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Recoveries1 | ||
| 1 | Ali Adnan | 100 |
| 2 | Jake Nerwinski | 99 |
| 3 | Leo Owusu | 98 |
| Vancouver Whitecaps FC – Interceptions1 | ||
| 1 | Ali Adnan | 40 |
| 2 | Jake Nerwinski | 29 |
| 3 | Russell Teibert | 26 |
At the attacking end of the pitch, Adnan tied for tops among MLS defenders in assists
| MLS – Assists (Defenders)1 | |||
| T-1 | Ali Adnan | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 5 |
| T-1 | Jorge Villafaña | Portland Timbers | 5 |
| 3 | Anton Tinnerholm | New York City FC | 4 |
The Lion possesses a skill set not common among defenders.