The 2025 MLS Best XI has been revealed, with many of the league’s top stars earning a spot on the list.
Lionel Messi, Denis Bouanga and Evander led the Best XI selections, with six players named to the list for the first time. U.S. men’s national team players Sebastian Berhalter, Cristian Roldan, Alex Freeman and Tristan Blackmon were also among those named.
Messi led the MLS for the second straight season with 49 goals for Inter Miami. His 29 goals earned him the Golden Boot this year, missing Carlos Vela’s league record for goals contributions in a single season.
Bouanga made the Best XI for the third straight season, becoming the first MLS forward to do so since Josef Martinez from 2017-2019. The Gabon international has scored 26 league goals so far between the regular season and the play-offs in 2025.
Dreyer made quite an impression in his first MLS season, scoring a total of 38 goals (19 goals, 19 assists). The Denmark international helped San Diego FC to first place in the Western Conference during the regular season, an above-average performance for the expansion team.
Berhalter has scored a total of four goals and 12 assists in MLS this season, helping the Vancouver Whitecaps reach a club-record 63 points during the regular season. His impactful 2025 also earned him multiple call-ups to the USMNT.
Evander registered 18 goals and 15 assists for FC Cincinnati, earning Best XI honors for the second year in a row. The versatile midfielder also became one of three all-time MLS players to register consecutive years with fifteen or more goals and assists.
Veteran midfielder Roldan led the Seattle Sounders in minutes played during the regular season (2,633). He totaled one goal and eleven assists between the regular season and the playoffs, helping the Sounders remain one of the consistent sides in the league.
Blackmon won the MLS Defender of the Year award this year and now adds Best XI honors to his list. He helped anchor a Whitecaps backline that conceded the second-fewest goals in MLS (38) and kept the second-most clean sheets (13).
Freman had another fantastic season for Orlando City, with a total of six goals and three assists. The versatile right-back has increased his stock in the USMNT throughout the year and remains an option for next summer’s FIFA World Cup.
Glesnes earned his second Best XI award and first since he also won the MLS Defender of the Year award in 2022. The 31-year-old Norwegian centre-back recorded the second-most minutes for the Philadelphia Union (2,626) as Bradley Carnell’s men lifted the Supporters’ Shield.
Wagner remained one of the league’s best full-backs and also played a big role for the Union backline. He scored two goals and added 11 assists while logging 2,769 minutes played.
St. Clair was named Best XI after winning the 2025 MLS Goalkeeper of the Year award. He recorded a career-best 10 clean sheets and was the only goalkeeper in the league with an overall goals-against average of less than 1.00.
Here is the MLS Best XI for 2025:
Goalkeeper: Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United).
Defenders: Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union, Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union), Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps), Alex Freeman (Orlando City SC).
Midfielders: Evander (Portland Timbers), Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders).
Forward: Andres Dreyer (San Diego FC), Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami).
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