Best centre-backs in Major League Soccer

The highest-potential centre-backs in Major League Soccer, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

F. Surman of Portland Timbers is the standout for raw talent across centre-backs in Major League Soccer, with a Field Insider Rating of 46.3, and J. Glesnes has been the form player this season, grading 55.7, and M. Laborda leads the scoring with 6 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: J. Haak has improved his Season rating most, up +30.8 on last season. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, J. Haak of New York City FC is the most valuable name in this group at 23.9.

New York City FC · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

J. Haak+30.8SsN

New York City FC · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Season	Rating
1	F. Surman Centre-back	Portland Timbers	22	287000%	4628.6%
2	J. Haak Centre-back	New York City FC	24	42277.5%	4617.4%
3	N. Romero Centre-back	Minnesota United FC	22	2649.7%	4623.7%
4	O. Makhanya Centre-back	Philadelphia Union	22	46	45
5	M. Laborda Centre-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	26	4486.9%	446%
6	M. Duah Centre-back	San Diego	21	22	43
7	K. Thompson Centre-back	Toronto FC	23	29200%	4310.5%
8	O. Verhoeven Centre-back	San Diego	20	15565.2%	4314%
9	B. Ceballos Centre-back	New England Revolution	25	401000%	4319.3%
10	N. Allen Centre-back	Inter Miami	22	20106.1%	433.3%
11	R. Priso Centre-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	23	23377.1%	4310.9%
12	E. Morales Centre-back	CF Montreal	22	222700%	4217.1%
13	J. Díaz Centre-back	Minnesota United FC	25	25139%	4210.4%
14	G. Flores Centre-back	FC Cincinnati	23	24	42
15	S. Zawadzki Centre-back	Columbus Crew	26	274.6%	415.5%
16	T. Avilés Centre-back	Inter Miami	22	1440.6%	4113.9%
17	Jansen Miller Centre-back	Sporting Kansas City	24	19	41
18	B. Craig Centre-back	CF Montreal	22	10	416.3%
19	K. Tingey Centre-back	Loudoun United	25	11	40
20	M. Duggan Centre-back	Minnesota United FC	25	175433.3%	4018.2%
21	Ramiz Hamouda Centre-back	Birmingham Legion	18	5	40
22	N. Cobb Centre-back	Atlanta United FC	20	1154.3%	402.9%
23	O. Urhoghide Centre-back	FC Dallas	26	3026%	4028.8%
24	A. Privett Centre-back	Charlotte	25	2944.7%	4013.7%
25	S. Suárez Centre-back	Birmingham Legion	21	6	40
26	C. Harvey Centre-back	Minnesota United FC	26	34139.4%	403.7%
27	J. Akpunonu Centre-back	Charleston Battery	24	14	406.5%
28	J. Maher Centre-back	Nashville SC	26	1929.7%	405.5%
29	J. Neal Centre-back	CF Montreal	22	157.1%	403.9%
30	E. Gärtig Centre-back	Las Vegas Lights	23	20	39
31	S. Suber Centre-back	Pittsburgh Riverhounds	25	29	39
32	L. Stefanovic Centre-back	Toronto FC	19	61160%	3911.8%
33	G. Luján Centre-back	Inter Miami	25	1552.1%	3923.6%
34	S. Smart Centre-back	Las Vegas Lights	22	15	39
35	C. Garcés Centre-back	Los Angeles Galaxy	24	2174%	393%
36	R. Veselinović Centre-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	27	3756.8%	3812.3%
37	Gabriel Dahlin Centre-back	New England II	22	0	38
38	Obafemi Awodesu Centre-back	Houston Dynamo	25	18	38
39	F. Nodarse Centre-back	Rhode Island	25	23	38
40	R. Voloder Centre-back	Sporting Kansas City	25	1722.2%	387.6%
41	C. Gloster Centre-back	New Mexico United	25	945%	388.8%
42	K. Yao Centre-back	Rhode Island	25	19	377.2%
43	I. LeFlore Centre-back	Philadelphia Union II	23	0	37
44	J. Ragen Centre-back	Seattle Sounders	27	2826.8%	3717.1%
45	D. Munie Centre-back	San Jose Earthquakes	26	17189.5%	371.9%
46	A. Cissoko Centre-back	FC Tulsa	26	2221500%	377.3%
47	B. Ofeimu Centre-back	Indy Eleven	25	7	37
48	Nico van Rijn Centre-back	Austin II	25	0	36
49	R. Ydrach Centre-back	Pittsburgh Riverhounds	25	12	36
50	N. Gordon Centre-back	Monterey Bay	24	559.3%	3640.3%