The midfield is where MLS games are decided. Pressing triggers, line-breaking passes, late runs into the box, defensive recoveries in transition. The best midfielders in MLS do all of it, and the data shows exactly who does it best.
This ranking uses American Soccer Analysis's Goals Added (g+) model to evaluate every MLS midfielder from the 2025 season. Goals Added captures every on-ball action a player makes and quantifies its impact on goal difference relative to the positional average. For midfielders, this means passing, receiving, shooting, dribbling, interrupting (defensive actions), and fouling are all measured and weighted by situational context.
How Goals Added Evaluates Midfielders
Unlike defenders, where interrupting is the dominant skill, midfielders are evaluated across a more balanced profile. The best midfielders in the league tend to excel in multiple categories:
Passing: The ability to create goal-scoring opportunities through distribution. This captures through balls, switches of play, progressive passes, and final-third entries. For playmakers, this is often the defining metric.
Receiving: Measures how dangerous a player's positioning is when they receive the ball. Players who find space between the lines, drift into half-spaces, or time runs into the box score highly here.
Shooting: Quantifies the value of a player's shots compared to the average midfielder in the same positions. Midfielders who score from distance or convert half-chances rank well.
Interrupting: The defensive side of midfield play. Tackles, interceptions, and recoveries in transition. Defensive midfielders and box-to-box players tend to score highest here.
A total Goals Added above +6.0 over a full season puts a midfielder in elite territory. The very best cross +10.0.
Top 10 Attacking Midfielders
1. Evander (FC Cincinnati) — g+ 11.28
Evander was the most impactful midfielder in MLS in 2025. What made him exceptional was the balance: +2.49 shooting g+ (elite finishing for a midfielder), +2.42 passing g+ (consistent chance creation), +1.93 receiving g+ (smart positioning), and even +1.26 interrupting g+ (defensive contribution). He did everything, and he did it at a high level across 3,046 minutes. There was no weakness to exploit.
2. Carles Gil (New England Revolution) — g+ 11.17
Gil posted the highest passing g+ of any player in MLS at +4.94. Nearly five goals of value from distribution alone. The Spaniard has been the best pure passer in the league for years, and 2025 confirmed it with the largest sample size yet (3,430 minutes). His ability to find pockets of space for teammates, play switches, and deliver from set pieces was unmatched.
3. Djordje Mihailovic (Toronto FC) — g+ 9.44
Mihailovic's +2.86 receiving g+ was the best among attacking midfielders, meaning he consistently found space in dangerous areas. Combined with +2.55 passing g+ and +1.45 shooting g+, he was a complete attacking midfielder who could both create and finish. His return to MLS after time in Europe was one of the best signings of the season.
4. Diego Rossi (Columbus Crew) — g+ 8.60
Rossi's standout metric was his +4.55 receiving g+, the highest of any midfielder in the league. He was devastating in the half-spaces, finding positions where having the ball was immediately dangerous. His +2.49 shooting g+ matched Evander's, but his lower passing contribution (+0.30) shows a player who was more finisher than creator.
5. Marcel Hartel (St. Louis City) — g+ 8.51
Hartel was the model of consistency, logging 3,409 minutes with contributions across every action type. His +3.37 receiving g+ showed intelligent movement, while +1.62 passing g+ and +1.91 shooting g+ rounded out a complete profile. He was the engine of St. Louis's attack all season.
6. Emil Forsberg (New York Red Bulls) — g+ 7.39
The Swedish international brought Champions League quality to MLS. His +3.95 receiving g+ was second only to Rossi's among attacking midfielders, showing a player who consistently found dangerous pockets. His lower interrupting g+ (+0.81) is expected for a player of his profile, but his positional intelligence in attack more than compensated.
7. Albert Rusnák (Seattle Sounders) — g+ 7.19
Rusnák was the Sounders' most important outfield player, contributing +2.05 passing g+, +2.02 receiving g+, and +1.61 shooting g+. His balanced profile made Seattle's attack unpredictable. He could score, create, or combine with equal effectiveness.
8. Pep Biel (Charlotte FC) — g+ 6.88
Biel's +3.07 receiving g+ showed a player who understood space better than most. His ability to find gaps in defensive structures and position himself for dangerous first touches made Charlotte's attack significantly more potent.
9. Luciano Acosta (FC Dallas) — g+ 6.69
Acosta packed remarkable value into just 1,912 minutes. His per-minute rate was among the highest in the league, suggesting that when healthy, he was one of the most dangerous players in MLS. His +2.03 passing g+ drove Dallas's creative output.
10. Aleksey Miranchuk (Atlanta United) — g+ 6.50
The Russian international brought technical quality that elevated Atlanta's entire attack. His +2.66 receiving g+ was his calling card, finding space between the lines with the timing and intelligence of a player trained in European systems.
Top 5 Central Midfielders
1. Brian Gutiérrez (Chicago Fire) — g+ 8.99
Gutiérrez was the highest-rated central midfielder in MLS and one of the most exciting young players in the league. His +2.74 passing g+ showed a player who could dictate tempo, while +2.06 interrupting g+ proved he was not a luxury player. He won the ball and then used it brilliantly. At just 2,289 minutes, his per-minute rate was elite.
2. Dylan Chambost (Columbus Crew) — g+ 7.67
Chambost was the metronome of the Crew's possession game. His +2.71 passing g+ and +2.42 interrupting g+ made him the most balanced central midfielder in the league. He controlled games in both directions.
3. Sergio Busquets (Inter Miami) — g+ 7.38
The legendary Barcelona midfielder continued to demonstrate why he is one of the best positional midfielders in history. His +4.52 passing g+ was second only to Carles Gil across all midfielders. At 37, his legs are not what they were, but his brain remains the sharpest tool in Miami's shed. His +2.29 interrupting g+ showed that even at this age, he intercepts passes before they are played.
4. Mark Delgado (LAFC) — g+ 6.93
Delgado has been one of the most underrated midfielders in MLS for years. His +2.82 passing g+ and +2.17 interrupting g+ showed a complete central midfielder who anchored LAFC's possession system. He rarely makes highlight reels, but the data reveals his true value.
5. Joaquín Pereyra (Minnesota United) — g+ 6.87
Pereyra's well-rounded profile (+2.52 passing, +1.78 interrupting, +1.53 shooting) made him one of the most complete box-to-box midfielders in the league. He contributed meaningfully in every phase of play.
Top 5 Defensive Midfielders
1. Jeppe Tverskov (San Diego FC) — g+ 7.08
Tverskov was the highest-rated defensive midfielder in MLS, anchoring San Diego's first-ever season with +3.07 interrupting g+ and +2.39 passing g+. A defensive midfielder who intercepts AND distributes at this level is rare. He was the foundation of everything San Diego built.
2. Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders) — g+ 6.92
Roldan's longevity in Seattle's midfield is remarkable, and 2025 was one of his best seasons by the data. His +2.86 interrupting g+ was elite, and his +1.73 passing g+ showed a player who does not just destroy but transitions play efficiently.
3. David Ayala (Portland Timbers) — g+ 5.89
Ayala posted the highest interrupting g+ among all midfielders at +3.77. He was a defensive specialist who won the ball more effectively than any other midfielder in the league. His lower passing and receiving numbers (+0.70 and +0.90) show a player focused on one job, done exceptionally well.
4. Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps) — g+ 6.22
Berhalter combined +2.35 interrupting g+ with +2.40 passing g+, one of the most balanced profiles among defensive midfielders. He dictated Vancouver's tempo while maintaining defensive discipline.
5. David Da Costa (Portland Timbers) — g+ 6.89
Portland having both Da Costa and Ayala in these rankings shows a midfield partnership built on complementary strengths. While Ayala destroyed, Da Costa created: +1.63 passing g+ and +2.16 receiving g+ showed a more progressive defensive midfielder.
What the Data Reveals
The gap between tiers is massive. Evander and Carles Gil both crossed +11.0 g+. The 10th-ranked midfielder is at +6.50. The difference between the best and the 10th best is nearly five goals of value over a season.
Passing dominance defines playmakers. Carles Gil (+4.94) and Sergio Busquets (+4.52) show that elite passing can single-handedly elevate a midfielder's total contribution. No other action type creates as wide a gap between good and great.
Receiving separates the elite. Diego Rossi (+4.55), Emil Forsberg (+3.95), and Marcel Hartel (+3.37) found space in ways that most midfielders cannot. The ability to position yourself where having the ball is dangerous is an underappreciated skill.
Columbus and Chicago's midfield depth. Both clubs placed two midfielders in these rankings. Columbus (Rossi + Chambost) and Chicago (Gutiérrez + Gutman, who appears in the defender rankings) are building through the middle of the park.
Defensive midfielders create value beyond tackles. Tverskov, Roldan, and Berhalter all posted passing g+ above +1.7. The modern MLS defensive midfielder cannot just win the ball. They must use it effectively too.
How We Built These Rankings
These rankings use American Soccer Analysis (ASA) Goals Added data from the 2025 MLS regular season. Only players with 500+ minutes were included. Players are grouped by attacking midfielder (AM), central midfielder (CM), and defensive midfielder (DM) as classified by ASA's position model. Goals Added measures total contribution through every on-ball action compared to the positional average.
See also: Best Defenders in MLS | Best Forwards in MLS | MLS Goalkeeper Rankings