Best Defensive players by Season Rating in Major League Soccer

The best defensive players in Major League Soccer, ranked on Field Insider.

Best defensive goalkeepers in Major League Soccer Best defensive defenders in Major League Soccer Best defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer Best defensive attackers in Major League Soccer Best players in Major League Soccer Most in-form players in Major League Soccer

At a glance

O. Wolff of Austin is the standout for raw talent across players in Major League Soccer, with a Field Insider Rating of 50.3, and L. Messi has been the form player this season, grading 100.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: A. Dreyer has improved his Season rating most, up +54.2 on last season, while H. Synchuk's scouting Rating has risen fastest, +11.7 over the same span. Those are the players whose trajectory is bending upward fastest.

By our market-value index, S. Berhalter of Vancouver Whitecaps is the most valuable name in this group at 15.2.

CF Montreal · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

A. Dreyer+54.2SsN

San Diego · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by best defendersCustomise →

	Player	Team
1	J. Glesnes Centre-back	Philadelphia Union	32	55.7	5673%	2217.9%
2	N. Harriel Full-back	Philadelphia Union	25	53.7	5472.7%	43±0%
3	L. Bombino Full-back	San Diego	20	50.7	51	49
4	O. Makhanya Centre-back	Philadelphia Union	22	46.4	46	45
5	M. Fofana Centre-back	New England Revolution	28	45.5	46126.4%	3430.1%
6	Sergi Palencia Full-back	Los Angeles FC	30	45.3	456.3%	2911.3%
7	M. Laborda Centre-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	26	44.1	4486.9%	446%
8	N. Byrne Full-back	Charlotte	34	42.5	4315.2%	1627.1%
9	T. Ream Centre-back	Charlotte	38	40.8	41202.2%	1328.9%
10	B. Ceballos Centre-back	New England Revolution	25	39.6	401000%	4319.3%
11	C. McVey Centre-back	San Diego	29	39.3	397.4%	332.7%
12	É. Ocampo Full-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	22	39.1	393810%	4730.4%
13	E. Segura Centre-back	Los Angeles FC	29	37.9	38110.6%	310.6%
14	M. Desler Central midfielder	Austin	31	37	37527.1%	237.5%
15	R. Veselinović Centre-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	27	36.7	3756.8%	3812.3%
16	K. O'Toole Full-back	New York City FC	27	36.6	37202.5%	3714.1%
17	M. Herrera Defensive midfielder	Columbus Crew	27	36.2	3629.7%	3625.4%
18	A. Markanich Full-back	Minnesota United FC	26	36.1	36438.8%	402.6%
19	T. Blackmon Centre-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	29	35.9	36115%	319.6%
20	Felipe Andrade Full-back	Houston Dynamo	24	35.5	36624.5%	4325%
21	F. Escobar Full-back	Houston Dynamo	31	35.1	357.3%	2219.5%
22	I. Feingold Central midfielder	New England Revolution	21	34.8	35	48
23	Thiago Martins Centre-back	New York City FC	31	34.6	3590.1%	2617.6%
24	R. Hollingshead Full-back	Los Angeles FC	35	34.1	3417%	167.2%
25	A. Najar Full-back	Nashville SC	33	34	3485.8%	194.5%
26	C. Harvey Centre-back	Minnesota United FC	26	34	34148.2%	403.7%
27	T. Gray Full-back	New York City FC	23	33.4	3398.8%	442%
28	Y. Gómez Centre-back	Seattle Sounders	34	33.3	3325.7%	1527.8%
29	D. Lovitz Full-back	Nashville SC	34	33.2	3329.7%	1711.5%
30	G. Dorsey Full-back	Houston Dynamo	27	33.1	336%	3812.3%
31	Guilherme Biro Full-back	Austin	26	33	3333.1%	416.5%
32	R. Cannon Full-back	Colorado Rapids	28	32	32720.5%	332.8%
33	M. Robinson Centre-back	FC Cincinnati	29	31.9	327.4%	3213.3%
34	T. Beason Full-back	New England Revolution	29	31.5	32246.2%	2814.3%
35	M. Boxall Centre-back	Minnesota United FC	37	31.5	3238.8%	1321.2%
36	N. Tafari Centre-back	Los Angeles FC	29	30.7	3159.1%	2823.1%
37	A. Long Centre-back	Los Angeles FC	33	30	3024.8%	1726.2%
38	T. Johnson Full-back	Vancouver Whitecaps	21	29.9	30	46
39	O. Urhoghide Centre-back	FC Dallas	26	29.6	3026%	4028.8%
40	K. Rowles Centre-back	DC United	28	29.6	3018.9%	3512.2%
41	B. Hlongwane Full-back	Minnesota United FC	26	29.6	3021.9%	418.7%
42	S. Rosted Centre-back	Toronto FC	32	29.4	2930.1%	216.6%
43	P. Miller Full-back	New England Revolution	18	29.3	29357.8%	4717.9%
44	T. Hadebe Full-back	FC Cincinnati	30	29.1	29385%	2411.2%
45	D. Brekalo Full-back	Orlando City SC	27	28.8	29100%	371.3%
46	A. Privett Centre-back	Charlotte	26	28.8	2962.7%	4013.7%
47	J. Glad Centre-back	Real Salt Lake	29	28.8	2916%	3111.8%
48	F. Surman Centre-back	Portland Timbers	22	28.4	287000%	4628.6%
49	J. Ragen Centre-back	Seattle Sounders	27	28.4	2826.8%	3717.1%
50	K. Duncan Full-back	New York Red Bulls	28	28	2881.8%	327%