Who Will Claim MLS MVP Glory in 2025? The Top Three Contenders Battle for Soccer's Ultimate Prize
The 2025 MLS campaign is approaching its concluding phase, with every franchise having a clear understanding of their capabilities and realistic aspirations for the MLS Cup Playoffs.
At this stage, each organization also possesses a definitive understanding of which athletes are most vital to their achievements and have delivered the strongest performances during the initial three-quarters of the regular season.
With clubs having between six and nine fixtures left before the pursuit of MLS Cup begins, Sports Illustrated examines the athletes who might be considered for the Landon Donovan MLS MVP Award when the final whistle sounds on Decision Day.
3. Evander - FC Cincinnati
When former star midfielder Luciano Acosta departed the organization under less-than-perfect circumstances, FC Cincinnati acted swiftly to acquire Evander for $12 million as one of the initial cash-for-player transactions in league history, and the investment proved successful.
Following two exceptional campaigns with the Portland Timbers, the Brazilian attacking midfielder seamlessly adapted his performance and established a dynamic offensive partnership with club-record acquisition, Kévin Denkey, who joined for over $16 million before the season commenced.
Across 27 fixtures, he has netted 16 goals and recorded nine assists. He demonstrates excellence in multiple areas, whether through precise long-range strikes or quick technical skills displayed in confined attacking areas.
Should Cincinnati secure any trophies in 2025, Evander will play a pivotal role.
2. Lionel Messi - Inter Miami
Without an imbalanced squad surrounding him, Lionel Messi might be in an even stronger position to retain his MLS MVP title. Nevertheless, with the current roster composition, he has shouldered a considerably greater burden than in 2024, and may face challenges during the season's final phases with a compressed fixture list.
While his 19 goals and eight assists across 19 matches place him second in the Golden Boot competition and second among all players for combined goal contributions, his statistics may not maintain their current ranking when Decision Day arrives.
Physical setbacks and exhaustion have been defining challenges for Messi this campaign, and the nine matches scheduled within just over a month could compel him to miss some fixtures, potentially limiting his ability to improve his numbers.
Nevertheless, despite all these limiting factors, he remains one of football's greatest ever players and could receive substantial votes, irrespective of how the season concludes.
1. Anders Dreyer - San Diego FC
Anders Dreyer entered MLS as a relatively unfamiliar player, but has emerged as a star Designated Player with San Diego FC during a remarkable debut season.
Leading up to the September international window, the Danish winger topped the charts in combined goal contributions with 14 goals and 18 assists across 29 fixtures. He has also served as the most reliable offensive weapon for head coach Mikey Varas's squad. The talent of Hirving "Chucky" Lozano on the opposite flank creates opportunities for him to exploit.
Dreyer has six regular-season fixtures left with San Diego and remains in contention for the Supporters' Shield, currently trailing the Philadelphia Union by just one point.
He's also performing exceptionally at the crucial moment and was recently awarded the league's Player of the Month honor for August.
With pace, adaptability and the capability to both score and set up opportunities, Dreyer has been the most impactful player in the Western Conference throughout the campaign, and the only genuine contender for MLS MVP would likely be Messi.
Honorable Mentions
Martín Ojeda (Orlando City): Ojeda has recorded 14 goals and 14 assists in MLS competition this campaign and has been instrumental to Orlando's achievements alongside Marco Pašalić and Luis Muriel.
Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC): The 2023 MLS MVP has been an essential component of Nashville SC's revival under head coach B.J. Callaghan with 14 goals and 11 assists.
Philip Zinckernagel (Chicago Fire FC): Chicago Fire FC haven't performed as well as head coach Gregg Berhalter anticipated. However, Zinckernagel has contributed 12 goals and 13 assists, developing an exceptional partnership with Hugo Cuypers.
Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union): The Philadelphia Union have been impressive, and the German defender has been their most reliable contributor. He also has two goals and nine assists across 26 fixtures.