It’s time to bid farewell to the MLS season, bringing with it a wave of emotions. This year was packed with thrilling moments, emerging talents, impressive goal-scorers, and so much more to reflect upon.
As the 2025 campaign concluded, OneFootball’s North American editors shared their insights on some of the most prestigious awards in the league.
Player of the Year
📸 Alex Slitz – 2025 Getty Images
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Adam Booker: Lionel Messi. With an outstanding tally of 29 goals and 19 assists during the regular season, he also steered Miami to their first-ever MLS Cup victory.
Andrew Thompson: Initially, I had Anders Dreyer as my pick before Decision Day. Nevertheless, following his stellar performance against Nashville and his inevitable postseason brilliance, Lionel Messi deserves the title for this season.
Dylan Krain: Lionel Messi. Contributing to 48 goals in just 28 regular-season matches is nothing short of phenomenal. It’s hard to fathom where Miami would be without his influence.
Goalkeeper of the Year
📸 Kevork Djansezian – 2025 Getty Images
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Adam Booker: Yohei Takaoka (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Andrew Thompson: Brad Stuver (Austin FC)
Dylan Krain: Andre Blake (Philadelphia Union)
Best Young Player (22 or younger)
📸 Jay Biggerstaff – 2025 Getty Images
Adam Booker: Owen Wolff (Austin FC)
Andrew Thompson: Idan Toklomati (Charlotte FC)
Dylan Krain: Luca Bombino (San Diego FC)
Coach of the Year
📸 Steph Chambers – 2025 Getty Images
Adam Booker: Jesper Sørensen. Under the Dane’s leadership, the Whitecaps have been transformed, coming agonizingly close to causing an upset in the MLS Cup.
Andrew Thompson: Mikey Varas. While Sørensen has been exceptional, Varas’ debut as a head coach at the club level has been impressive, with his San Diego squad performing well beyond expectations.
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Dylan Krain: Jesper Sørensen. With many questioning Vancouver’s decision to part ways with beloved head coach Vanni Sartini, Sørensen has effectively silenced his critics with his results.
Newcomer of the Year
📸 Rich Lam – 2025 Getty Images
Adam Booker: Anders Dreyer. While he may miss out on the MVP title behind Messi, the Dane shone brightly during his debut season with San Diego.
Andrew Thompson: Son Heung-min. The transformation of LAFC after the arrival of the South Korean star has been remarkable, remaining unbeaten since his introduction to the team.
Dylan Krain: Anders Dreyer. In just eight months, he has gone from being a newcomer at an expansion club to emerging as one of the league’s elite players on a top-performing team.
Most Disappointing Team
📸 Leonardo Fernandez – 2025 Getty Images
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Adam Booker: It’s hard to overlook Atlanta. The Five Stripes entered the season with high ambitions following a significant investment but ultimately fell short.
Andrew Thompson: Atlanta. Despite the additions of Emmanuel Latte Lath, the return of Miguel Almirón, and the signing of Steven Alzate, Ronny Deila’s team has struggled across the board.
Dylan Krain: LA Galaxy. The defending MLS Cup champions waited 17 games for their first win, and by that point, their playoff hopes were nearly extinguished.
📸 Kevork Djansezian – 2024 Getty Images