Lionel Messi in, Suarez, Son, and Muller out: MLS officially reveals 2025 Best XI of the season

Lionel Messi has once again shined with his remarkable performances, claiming the Golden Boot for the 2025 MLS season. While his Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez, LAFC’s Son Heung-min, and Vancouver Whitecaps’ Thomas Müller were left out, the Argentine star headlines this year’s MLS Best XI.

The 2025 MLS regular season has concluded, with the top eight teams from each conference now battling for the MLS Cup. As the playoffs get underway, media members, MLS players, and club technical staffs have voted to determine the best players of the campaign.

After leading Inter Miami to a third-place finish in the Eastern Conference with 65 points, Messi earned another spot in the MLS Best XI, repeating his 2024 honor. The Miami captain was directly involved in 48 goals this season, scoring 29 and assisting 19, accounting for an incredible 59% of his team’s total goals.

2025 MLS Best XI

The list of players in the 2025 MLS Best XI reads as follows:

• Goalkeeper: Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC).
• Defenders: Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Alex Freeman (Orlando City), Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union), Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union).
• Midfielders: Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Evander (FC Cincinnati), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC).
• Forwards: Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF).

Philadelphia Union (Wagner, Glesnes) and Vancouver Whitecaps (Berhalter, Blackmon) were the only two clubs to have multiple players included.

Suarez, Son, and Muller out of the team

While Messi’s inclusion was a foregone conclusion given his record-breaking numbers, no other Inter Miami player made the cut. Jordi Alba, part of last year’s Best XI, dropped out, while Suárez missed selection despite producing 10 goals and 10 assists. LAFC’s Denis Bouanga (24 goals) and San Diego’s Anders Dreyer (19) ultimately outshone the Uruguayan striker.

Elsewhere, high-profile summer arrivals Son Heung-min and Thomas Müller also failed to earn a place. Both made a strong impact upon joining LAFC and Vancouver, respectively, with each club losing just one match when they featured, but their limited time in MLS worked against them in the final vote.