MVP Race Heats Up: MLS MVP Rankings Midseason

MLS MVP rankings have rarely been this tight, and the 2025 season’s mid-campaign assessment paints a fascinating picture of individual brilliance across both conferences.

Why the MLS MVP Rankings Matter More Than Ever

The MLS MVP rankings set the narrative for the league’s summer months. Coaches tweak tactics, defenders target key men, and national-team scouts keep tabs, all because the frontrunners for Major League Soccer’s top individual award influence matches in ways stats can barely capture.

Anders Dreyer Leads an Expansion Masterclass

Nobody has jumped faster up the MLS MVP rankings than San Diego FC winger Anders Dreyer. With 12 goals and eight assists in just 18 league starts, the Danish international has powered an expansion side that many expected to struggle into a genuine playoff contender. His direct running, pinpoint dead balls and relentless pressing have reset the bar for first-year clubs, making him the current favourite among many analysts.

How Dreyer’s Numbers Stack Up

• Key passes per 90: 3.1
• Shot-creating actions: 87
• Progressive carries: 52
San Diego average 2.3 points when he scores, underscoring his value.

Messi’s Pursuit of Back-to-Back Glory

Even after a month away at the FIFA Club World Cup, Lionel Messi remains a fixture inside the top three of every credible set of MLS MVP rankings. The Inter Miami superstar already boasts 15 goals and 10 assists despite playing roughly 600 fewer minutes than his chief rivals. With Luis Suárez drawing markers and Sergio Busquets dictating tempo behind him, Messi’s second-half surge could yet dwarf his own 2024 output.

Key Factors Boosting Messi’s Case

1. Rested legs post-Club World Cup exit
2. A softer remaining schedule—nine of Miami’s last 13 are at home
3. Commercial impact: MLS MVP voters have historically leaned toward players who elevate league profile

Evander’s Box-to-Box Brilliance Keeps Portland Relevant

Portland’s Brazilian metronome lands third in our MLS MVP rankings. Evander’s eight goals and league-leading 11 assists are impressive, but his two-way work rate is what coach Phil Neville calls irreplaceable. When Evander pushes high, the Timbers average 1.8 xG; when he sits deeper, they concede 0.9 xGA. Those splits illustrate a player shaping both ends of the field.

Supporting Cast Matters

Brazilian winger Antony and veteran forward Felipe Mora have shouldered attacking tasks, giving Evander freedom to roam. Portland’s playoff hopes will live or die by that trio’s chemistry.

The Chasers: Surridge, Espinoza, Rossi & Baribo

Sam Surridge has carried Nashville’s offense while Hany Mukhtar nurses knocks, keeping his name in every MLS MVP rankings update. In California, Cristian Espinoza continues to deliver elite service for San Jose, while Diego Rossi has rediscovered the ruthlessness that once made him LAFC’s golden boy. Finally, Tai Baribo’s scoring burst for Columbus adds another dark-horse candidate.

Stat Leaders Among the Pack

• Surridge: 0.71 non-penalty goals per 90
• Espinoza: 74 crosses into the box, league best
• Rossi: 5.8 touches in the penalty area per match
• Baribo: 89.1% pass completion in the final third

Strength of Schedule Could Decide the Award

MLS MVP rankings typically tighten in the run-in, and 2025 will be no exception. San Diego face eight playoff sides in their last ten. Inter Miami, by contrast, close with a kinder set of fixtures, handing Messi the chance to pile up late-season numbers just as Dreyer’s workload spikes.

Home vs. Away Splits

Dreyer: 0.84 goals per 90 at Snapdragon Stadium vs. 0.50 on the road
Messi: 1.10 goals per 90 at Chase Stadium vs. 0.82 outside Florida
Evander: negligible split, highlighting his consistency wherever he plays

Historical Context of Close MVP Races

In 2018, Josef Martínez edged Zlatan Ibrahimović by a narrow margin thanks to Atlanta United’s Supporters’ Shield push. The 2025 chase feels similar; individual numbers will matter, yet team success could tip the scale. Dreyer delivering the first playoff berth for an expansion club since Atlanta would be a narrative voters love. Messi repeating while Miami finish atop the East is equally powerful.

What Voters Tend to Reward

1. Goal contributions per 90
2. Highlight-reel moments in nationally televised games
3. Consistency across the full 34-match slate
By those metrics, Dreyer, Messi and Evander form a logical top tier, but Surridge’s clutch gene and Espinoza’s creative volume keep them within striking distance.

MLS MVP Rankings Table (Matchday 22)

1. Anders Dreyer – San Diego FC
2. Lionel Messi – Inter Miami CF
3. Evander – Portland Timbers
4. Sam Surridge – Nashville SC
5. Cristian Espinoza – San Jose Earthquakes
6. Diego Rossi – FC Cincinnati
7. Tai Baribo – Columbus Crew

Primary Focus Keyword in Action

Because MLS MVP rankings shape weekly headlines, clubs market marquee fixtures as “MVP showdowns.” Expect bigger crowds when San Diego visit Miami in September—a match likely to swing both the standings and the award narrative.

What to Watch After the All-Star Break

• Dreyer’s endurance: He has never played more than 2,600 minutes in a season.
• Messi’s minutes: Will Tata Martino manage them to preserve freshness?
• Evander’s transfer links: European clubs circle whenever the summer window opens.

Conclusion

The next three months promise plot twists, but one thing is certain: the 2025 MLS MVP race is a showcase of attacking artistry that elevates the league’s global profile.

Opinion

If Dreyer maintains his blistering output against a brutal schedule, the neutral vote should be his. Momentum, however, is a fickle teammate—never count Messi out.