Lionel Messi, Son Heung-Min and the top 25 players in MLS ranked ahead of the 2026 season

You wanted a goalscorer? Baribo is about as clean as they come. The D.C. United striker was fantastic for Philadelphia Union last year, and led the Golden Boot race at one point. A late season slump took nothing away from his quality, and a big money move to Washington was entirely deserved from a player who still has a lot to offer.

Gil has been the constant in a mixed few years for the Revs. The attacking midfielder provides goals and assists wherever he plays, and has offered double-digit goal contributions in every full season he has played in MLS. He's 32, but his numbers are only improving for a Revolution side that may have turned a corner. 

Philip Zinckernagel quietly had one of the best seasons in MLS last year, managing 15 goals and 15 assists in his debut campaign in the league. This year, he might just be even better, especially with the Fire retooling over the offseason. 

Musa was brought in on a big money deal in 2024, and settled into MLS nicely with 16 goals and three assists. And last year, he only improved, posting 18 and six. Dallas showed real improvement on the pitch, too - with Musa central to their efforts. 

Tverskov doesn't play sexy football, but he is immensely reliable. The Danish defensive midfielder anchored an excellent San Diego side, playing almost every minute for the expansion franchise - and dishing out eight assists along the way. 

White has quietly been a regular provider of goals since 2021, but hit new levels in 2025. He bagged 25 in all competitions last year, enough to earn him a USMNT look, and a shot at making Mauricio Pochettino's side for the World Cup. 

The Brazilian's production dropped off in an injury-marred 2025 season, but even then, his quality cannot be denied. He was vital in LA Galaxy's MLS Cup run in 2024, and, now fully fit, seems primed to return to form. A fit Pec is a scary proposition. 

Arfsten was linked with a move to Europe for a large portion of January, which would indicate just how handy he is at left back. Excellent going forward but always improving defensively, Arfsten has earned a spot in the USMNT setup - and will certainly be a solid backup when Pochettino's team takes the field this summer.

The 2025 campaign was the year Dayne St. Clair finally put it all together for Minnesota United. To be sure, he had been an excellent goalkeeper for some time, but last season he made headlines, coming up with crucial saves in big moments, and getting the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year nod that he thoroughly deserved. Since then, he has only challenged himself further by moving to Inter Miami. This year feels pivotal for the Canadian. 

It was an immense surprise to see Philadelphia offload Glesnes, who was among the best center backs in MLS last year. Tall, physcial, and tify with the ball at his feet, he bailed out the Union week in and week out. His best years may be behind him, but his three All Star nods and 2022 Defender of the Year acknowledgement prove that he is a true talent. 

Luna is certainly the most likable player in MLS, and a true advocate for his community. But he's also devastatingly good on the pitch. In 2025, he tallied double-digit goal contributions for the second year in a row and is on track to improve ahead of this season. 

Robinson returned from a devastating Achilles injury in style in 2024, and only improved the year after. Sure, there were a couple knocks, but he was vital for a very good Cincinnati defense, and played himself into the picture for the USMNT at the World Cup. And there's still plenty of soccer to come from a player named an All-Star last year. 

When fit, Puig is a top-three player in MLS, and there shouldn't really be a debate there. He was immense in 2024, leading LA Galaxy to an MLS Cup win that very few saw coming. But back-to-back ACL surgery leaves his career at a crossroads. Still, if he reaches full fitness again, the La Masia product shall certainly be right back among the league's best. 

What a year it was for the man whose USMNT call up was leaked by Thomas Muller. Sure, the Whitecaps' attack made headlines, but their defensive spine set everything up. Blackmon was the anchor of a Vancouver defense that conceded the fewest goals in the West in 2025. It was little surprise when he was named MLS Defender of the Year. 

The story goes that Nashville wanted Mukhtar to be their main man before they even existed. Indeed, they called him in 2019 to set everything up. And Mukhtar has never really looked back. He is the perennial presence for the reigning U.S. Open Cup champs, tallying 16 goals in MLS alone last year. He was also named an All-Star for the third season straight. 

Surridge is very good at doing one thing: scoring loads of goals. There are very few strikers in MLS with his raw finishing ability, and Nashville make pretty good use of it, too. He bagged 25 goals last year and was named an MVP finalist on the back of his best season in the league to date. 

Last season was the year in which Berhalter realized his potential in full. He had been reliable for Vancouver for a few years, but in 2025, the son of the former USMNT coach became the all-action midfielder he always could be. Those 12 assists - helped, no doubt, by his deadly set piece ability - don't look too bad, either. 

Roldan's performance in the Leagues Cup final against Inter Miami should be studied. The American midfielder was playing through an injury, yet still dominated the center of the park as the Sounders battered Messi and Co. He has been a mainstay for the Sounders since 2015, yet managed his first All-Star nod in 2025. It felt a lot like vindication for a player who has run the hard yards and can be considered nothing less than a club legend. 

Evander, more than anything, is immensely fun to watch. The kid who watched Ronaldinho in his formative years has brought a specific kind of flair to Major League Soccer. More of a devastating passer and shooter than a dribbler, the Brazilian is the perfect throwback No. 10 for a league that still allows them. Thirty-one goal contributions weren't a bad start to life in Cincinnati, either. 

Bouanga was a masterstroke of a signing when LAFC brought him in a few years ago. And in his third full season in the league, he played his best soccer. He tallied 32 goals in all competitions and developed a deadly partnership with Son Heung-Min. There are rumors that the Gabonese international could leave the league for big money - which would be an immense loss for MLS and LAFC alike. 

 Inter Miami needed to replace one of their star DPs in Sergio Busquets, and did so in style, bringing in De Paul at the midpoint of last season. And if Messi was the undisputed main man, then De Paul did everything else. They dub him "Messi's bodyguard" in Argentina, and it's easy to see why, with De Paul running midfields by himself - while also making sure that the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is more than protected. 

Dreyer would be a shoo-in for MVP had a certain Lionel Messi fella not played in this league. He always seemed to be a smart signing for San Diego, but very few could have predicted just how good he would be. A return of 23 goals and 17 assists is absurd in a debut season. An All-Star selection was more than deserved, and SDFC will be immensely grateful to have him for at least two more years. 

What a signing Sonny was. Sure, LAFC broke the bank to bring the Korean in, but who cares? Sometimes you have to swing big. And there was no adjustment period for the Korean, either. He bagged 12 and added three assists in 13 games after moving from Tottenham in August. Odds are, he will be even better in 2026.

A player so good that they made up a new position for him. Muller dubbed himself an "interpreter of space", which really doesn't mean all that much, but sounds pretty good. In practice, it was remarkably effective for the Whitecaps. Muller's numbers were good - 11 goal contributions in 12 matches - but his impact was even more significant. Vancouver went from good to great when he joined, and that's no coincidence. 

Does this even need intellectualizing? Messi had the best season in MLS history. Ever. Irrefutably, undoubtedly, and perhaps entirely expectedly, the little Argentine absolutely dominated the league last year. His 48 goal contributions in 28 matches were the second most in league history, but achieved in fewer games than the previous mark. He also smashed pretty much every playoff record available, too. And to top it off, he lifted the MLS Cup at the end of the year. The sweetener? He penned a multi-year deal to stick around in Miami for the foreseeable future.