Nikola Markovic wants attackers to fear him.
"My goal every time I play is for the strikers up front to be afraid of me," he says to GOAL.
And they just might. The 6-foot-4 Canadian Serbian defender was a fearsome one-on-one presence at NC State, leading the backline of one of the nation's best defenses, enough for him to be named a first-team All-American. He was one of five players to pen a Generation Adidas before the 2026 MLS SuperDraft, and shot up big boards in the final days before the draft itself. Markovic is the kind of talent MLS teams tend to covet. He has the size and smarts to play at the next level, and the kind of leadership skills that will see him fit in with a professional side early.
Markovic is just 21. But he insists he is ready.
"In my head, I've been a pro for a long time," he says minutes after being taken first overall in the draft. "So I think that leads to me acting like a pro, taking care of my body like a pro, and training like a pro. I think it's also more of a it's more of a mindset."
Odds are, he will need to grow up quickly. He comes into a D.C. United side that has rather struggled of late. In 2025, they changed managers, parted ways with their GM, and were the worst team in MLS. And even if they have already been busy in the transfer market, they might need everyone to contribute from Day 1. It's something Markovic is up for.
"I understand it's going to be a step up. If I can be a starter, of course, I want to take it, and I just want to play as many minutes as possible and be an impactful player," he says.
GOAL chatted with Markovic about all things D.C., his career goals, and why he compared himself to Sergio Ramos in GOAL Convo, a weekly Q&A with central figures in North American soccer.
NOTE: This interview has been lightly edited for brevity and clarity.
