Soccer
The 2025 regular season is nearly over, and it’s time to debate who makes this year’s Best XI.
Before getting underway, I’d love to see MLS introduce multiple Best XIs. With 30 clubs across the league, it’s almost unfair to single out just 11 players. There’s so much quality in the league and so many deserving guys!
That’s how I get a pretty lengthy snubs list: Martín Ojeda (Orlando City), Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago Fire FC), Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew) and Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC) are all attackers who miss out. Same for fullbacks Alex Freeman (Orlando City) and Daniel Lovitz (Nashville SC), Matt Freese (New York City FC) in goal, Danley Jean Jacques (Philadelphia Union) as a No. 6… you get the point.
After much deliberation, here’s who makes my Best XI. We’ll go from back to front in a 4-3-3 formation.
Dayne St. Clair’s ability to keep Minnesota in games with his shot-stopping is the best in the league. He’s a starting goalkeeper for Canada ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and clearly benefits from the confidence that offers. Minnesota have enjoyed their best-ever season, partly because St. Clair is a Goalkeeper of the Year favorite.
Kai Wagner has incredible set-piece delivery and service from the run of play. He’s a huge reason why Philadelphia can play with two strikers, to have people in the box for his crosses. Also, they’ve conceded the fewest goals in MLS and cruised to the Supporters’ Shield. The German left back is remarkably consistent.
I thought Jakob Glesnes would be the Union’s best center back, and he’s still had a strong season, but Olwethu Makhanya has really caught my eye. The young South African’s ability to cover 1-v-1 in the back, his presence and athletic profile, his confidence – it makes him one of the most intriguing center-back prospects we’ve seen in MLS in a long time.
Tristan Blackmon’s vision and ability to carry the ball forward, then play through lines, have gotten him into the USMNT picture. He’s always been a strong defender in transition and in the box, but that other part of his game has flourished. Blackmon’s also played with multiple center-back partners all year and was a constant before his knee injury.
Andy Najar has enjoyed a career resurgence. He’s always had the talent to be an excellent player in MLS, but he hasn’t stayed healthy. Now, he’s consistently available and has been such a creative influence for Nashville. They play so narrow that he’s almost a No. 10 playing as a fullback.
Cristian Roldan has been underrated for so long in MLS, mainly because he’s a Swiss Army Knife player who can play several roles. Now, he’s an out-and-out No. 6 and has been arguably the most consistent midfielder in MLS. He contributes to the attack, has gotten more comfortable on the ball, and his defensive instincts/engine are a big reason why Seattle won Leagues Cup. It’s no mistake he’s back with the USMNT.
We’d be talking about Evander as a multi-time MVP if he weren’t playing at the same time as Lionel Messi. He’s the second-best out-and-out attacker in the league. It was a no-brainer for Pat Noonan & Co. to get him from Portland, and he’s been just as good, if not better, in Cincy. He’s everything they could have wanted and more – a true slam-dunk signing.
Messi’s well on his way to becoming the first back-to-back Landon Donovan MLS MVP award winner. He’s still playing at an incredible level and recently became the second player in league history to reach 40 goal contributions in a season. He’s also the Golden Boot presented by Audi leader, all while playing fewer games than the other candidates.
Denis Bouanga started the season a little slow, but he’s why LAFC stayed afloat and still won games. Now that he has a running mate in Son Heung-Min, who’s the perfect complement to his skill set and quality, he’s been the most dangerous player in the league for the last two months. Bouanga might even win a second Golden Boot when the dust settles on Decision Day.
Sam Surridge has been the best pure striker in the league. He scores goals in a bunch of ways and is dangerous in the air. Left foot, right foot – doesn’t matter. As far as No. 9s go, he’s gotten the job done time and time again. Don’t forget about him in the Golden Boot race, either.
Anders Dreyer is the shoe-in for Newcomer of the Year and has been a top-three MVP candidate all season. All the press and plaudits were going to the Chucky Lozano signing, and he’s been great, but Dreyer has carried the load for the best expansion team in MLS history. What a debut campaign for San Diego FC.
Read MoreLyndia Buresh