Top 10 Best MLS Players Right Now (Ranked)

Major League Soccer (MLS) is one of the fastest-growing leagues in the world presently. And at the center of all this is the rapidly expanding league, and securing big names that have changed the face of the league. With billions of dollars being poured into league development, MLS has some of the best players in top-flight leagues around the world.

MLS was seen as a retirement house rather than a serious place for career growth, but things have been changing with players like Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Busquets, Marco Reus, and more coming to MLS clubs, which has uplifted the brand value of this league with their skills. These players have elevated the performance of the players and improved the quality of the league and its popularity. This article explores the players who have paved the path to success, exploring their careers and celebrating their achievements. Now, let’s take a look at the 10 best MLS players in 2025:

List of Best Major League Soccer Players Currently

The table below contains the names of players who are considered the best MLS players for the season 2024/25. The list is purely curated by considering the following ranking factors: Performance stats, consistency, playing position and impact in big matches.

Rank	Player	Position	Club
10	Kelvin Yeboah	Forward	Minnesota United
9	Diego Luna	Midfielder	Real Salt Lake
8	Roman Bürki	Goalkeeper	St. Louis City SC
7	Wilfried Zaha	Winger	Charlotte FC
6	Hugo Cuypers	Forward	Chicago Fire
5	Riqui Puig	Midfielder	LA Galaxy
4	Evander	Forward	FC Cincinnati
3	Christian Benteke	Striker	D.C. United
2	Hirving Lozano	Winger	San Diego FC
1	Lionel Messi	Forward	Inter Miami CF

How we Ranked the Best Players in MLS?

We have explained the factors that we have used to rank the best MLS players in 2025. The data was fetched from some of the reputable football analysis sites on the internet. The ranking factors are as follows:

• Performance Stats: To make sure that we only include the best player in the MLS, we took performance stats as our primary factor. This includes stats like goals, assists, passes completed, and defensive actions (e.g., tackles, interceptions). To make sure that our article does not look like some other article that is curated based on hype, we made sure that every position is analyzed based on its respective stats.

• Consistency: Consistency is another crucial factor in listing the top 10 Major League Soccer players. We have looked at the average rating of each player before ranking them in the list.

• Playing position: A player’s position in the squad is also taken care of before ranking the best MLS players. A player’s role (e.g., striker, midfielder, defender) affects their ranking, as each position demands different skills.

• Impact in Key Matches: Last but not least, the Impact in important matches as a factor worked as a tie breaker for us. For example, if the stats of 2 players were almost the same, we ranked the player higher who played a crucial role in important matches.

Who is the Best MLS Player Currently?

Below is the detailed list of the best players in MLS and why they deserve the rank they are in. This detailed list will put the spotlight on players’ data for the year 2025. Without further delay, let’s hop onto the detailed list of the best MLS players.

10. Kelvin Yeboah – Minnesota United

Kelvin Yeboah is known for his strong physicality and dribbling. He joined Minnesota United for a 3.5-year contract in 2024. Yeboah can play in a wide position as well, thanks to his ability to drift in the box and send crosses. His first touch and flicks highlight his control and mastery over the ball.

Also, the player has an average rating of 6.94 so far. The 24-year-old striker’s finishing ability, especially inside the box, makes him one of the best MLS players in recent times. Yeboah has scored six goals in 19 appearances for his team, Minnesota United, in the 2024-25 season.

Key Stats	Figures
Appearances	19
Expected Goals	7.34
Goals	6
Assists	0

9. Diego Luna – Real Salt Lake

Diego Luna plays as an attacking midfielder and sometimes as a winger for MLS club Real Salt Lake. He has been making his name in the league with his ability and skills. The 21-year-old American player might lack athleticism, but his ability to dribble past defenders makes him one of the best players in the MLS in recent years.

Luna isn’t like soccer stars of today, he’s a bit short in comparison and stocky as well. But his traits like dribbling, holding the ball under pressure, and most importantly, his passing make up for it. This season, he has scored eight goals, surpassing his xG of 4.81, and provided two assists in 16 games for Real Salt Lake. Luna’s average rating for the 2025 season so far is 7.31.

Key Stats	Figures
Appearances	16
Expected Goals	4.81
Goals	8
Assists	2

8. Roman Burki – St. Louis City SC

Roman Burki joined St. Louis City SC from Borussia Dortmund in 2022. The Swiss goalkeeper had an impressive stint with the Bundesliga club, Borussia Dortmund, from 2015 to 2022. He is known for his sweeper-keeper role, as he tends to leave his goal line to intercept, unlike traditional goalkeepers. This may sound risky, but it has been beneficial for him and his clubs throughout his career.

Since 2022, he has played 76 games, conceding 115 goals, while keeping 18 clean sheets for St. Louis City SC, making him one of the best MLS players. This season, Burki has played 11 games and has conceded 17 goals with 3 clean sheets, showing his class and goalkeeping skills. However, his for has dipped compared to the Initial stage still the player has managed to be one of the best keepers in the MLS.

Key Stats	Figures
Appearances	11
Clean Sheets	3
Goal Conceded	17

7. Wilfried Zaha – Charlotte FC

Wilfried Zaha has played for several well known clubs in Europe like Crystal Palace, Manchester United, Galatasaray, and Lyon. Zaha joined MLS club Charlotte FC on loan from Galatasaray in 2025. This season, he has played 18 games for his new club so far, scoring 5 goals in succession, and has been one of the impactful players for them, making him one of the best players in MLS.

The former Crystal Palace winger has been influential in the dressing room due to his experience playing in big leagues. The 32-year-old winger is known for his dominant right foot and shooting ability. The player has an average rating of 7.19 which reflects the consistency of the player.

Key Stats	Figures
Appearances	18
Goals + Assists	8
Progressive Passes/90	4.72
Progressive Carries/90	3.88

Also Read: Top 10 Most Valuable MLS Teams

6. Hugo Cuypers – Chicago Fire

In 6th position, we have Hugo Cuypers, who joined Chicago Fire from Gent in 2024 for a club record fee. Hugo has been playing exceptionally well for his club in the MLS this season. He is also counted among the highest paid players in MLS. But the age has very little role to play in his tenure at the MLS club. In 18 games so far, he has scored eleven times and assisted once.

The former Gent striker is known for his goal-scoring ability and is good in aerial as well. His trivela technique is also impressive, which he consistently uses during games to pass or shoot. His average rating is 7.17, which reflects his consistency even after being considered old by football pundits. His goal-scoring ability at this age makes him one of the best players in MLS.

Key Stats	Figures
Appearances	18
Expected Goals	12.97
Goals	11
Assists	1

5. Riqui Puig – LA Galaxy

At the 5th position on our list, we have Riqui Pui. The Spanish player from FC Barcelona is known for his vision, swiftness and ability to deliver precise through balls, breaking the defensive lines. Puig plays for LA Galaxy in the MLS. Since he joined the LA Galaxy, he has scored more than 20 goals and provided 16 assists in his 68 appearances in total for the American side.

However, Riqui Puig is suffering from a Cruciate ligament tear, which has impacted his great momentum from the last season where he scored 17 goals and provided 12 assists in 33 appearances. Additionally, the player has an average rating of 8.15, which is much higher compared to that of many players in our list of best MLS player. It will be very interesting to see whether the player will return to his form or not after recovering from the Injury.

Key Stats	Figures
Appearances	33
Expected Goals	10.75
Goals	17
Assists	12

4. Evander – FC Cincinnati

A modern-day MLS icon, Evander played a big role in the power shift in the Portland Timbers before moving to FC Cincinnati this season. His accolades are also jaw-dropping, representing the MLS Best XI once, MLS All-Star once, and two MLS MVP Player of the Month awards. This season, the Brazilian attacking midfielder played 6 games, scoring 4 goals and assisting one.

With 61 games to his name for the Portland Timbers, he has scored 26 times and assisted 22 times, showcasing his playmaking skill alongside his striking ability. He has played 18 games for his new club, FC Cincinnati, scoring 11 times, surpassing his xG of 3.92 and assisting in 6 of them. Evander also has an average rating of 7.98 for the MLS season 2025. His goal-scoring ability makes him one of the best players in MLS.

Key Stats	Figures
Appearances	18
Expected Goals	3.92
Goals	11
Assists	6

Also Read: MLS Top Goal Scorers: Major League Soccer’s Finest Since 1996

3. Christian Benteke – D.C. United

Christian Benteke’s arrival in the MLS from the Premier League was extraordinary, capturing the attention of the world. But Benteke did not treat it like a retirement league and has been smashing records. He put his heart and soul into playing for the badge with passion. His linking up with his teammates has been a treat to watch for American viewers.

Even at the age of 34, he’s not showing any signs of slowing down. He has scored 6 goals for D.C. United in 13 games this season, making him one of the best MLS players. The Belgian striker has played for some of the best clubs in Europe in his career, like Aston Villa, Crystal Palace, and Liverpool.

Key Stats	Figures
Appearances	13
Expected Goals	7.75
Goals	6
Assists	1

2. Hirving Lozano – San Diego FC

Hirving Lozano, also known by the name of “Chucky” plays for San Diego FC in the American League MLS. His performance stats show his flair and finishing, though limited minutes due to injury slightly temper his output for the club. He has scored a total of 6 goals and assisted 5 times so far for his new club. Talking about his play style, he likes to play at both wings, which reflects his versatility as a player. The new joinee in the MLS has an average rating of 7.45. Additionally, he has been a key player for San Diego FC since he joined the club. His impact in the key matches and his knack for scoring goals have put the player at number 2 in our list of best MLS players.

Key Stats	Figures
Appearances	15
Expected Goals	7.42
Goals	6
Assists	5

1. Lionel Messi – Inter Miami

There is nothing new one can say about Lionel Messi that has not been said. After a turbulent time in Paris in 2023, Messi moved to Miami to play for David Beckham‘s newly formed club Inter Miami. Messi did not take long to show America why he’s the best and has increased the ceiling of the club tenfold. He helped them win their first-ever trophy, the League Cup, in his first season and the Supporters Shield in the current season, winning the MVP award for his contributions.

Messi is now the record goalscorer for the club and is likely to break more records, making him the best MLS player. There is no doubt that he can become the best player in MLS, even if he stays for a few more seasons. This season, he has played 13 games and scored 10 times while assisting teammates 5 times. Additionally, the player has the best average rating i.e., 8.22 in the MLS.

Key Stats	Figures
Appearances	13
Expected Goals	7.73
Goals	10
Assists	5

Also Read: Top 10 Highest Paid MLS Players 2025 [Ranked]

FAQs