Best defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer

The highest-potential defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer, ranked on Field Insider.

At a glance

S. Berhalter of Vancouver Whitecaps is the standout for raw talent across defensive midfielders in Major League Soccer, with a Field Insider Rating of 48.8, and E. Löwen leads the scoring with 6 goals.

The numbers a scout watches are the year-on-year jumps: S. Berhalter has improved his Season rating most, up +28.8 on last season. 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 25.4.

Vancouver Whitecaps · 24/25→25/26

Most improved

S. Berhalter+28.8SsN

Vancouver Whitecaps · 24/25→25/26

50 players · ranked by best potentialCustomise →

#	Player	Team	Age	Season	Rating
1	S. Berhalter Defensive midfielder	Vancouver Whitecaps	25	56106.3%	4913.5%
2	M. Arfsten Defensive midfielder	Columbus Crew	25	4986.9%	470.6%
3	Igor Jesus Defensive midfielder	Los Angeles FC	23	30214.6%	4614.4%
4	C. Bassett Defensive midfielder	Colorado Rapids	24	3116.5%	462.9%
5	D. Ayala Defensive midfielder	Portland Timbers	23	4062.2%	459.1%
6	O. Larraz Defensive midfielder	Colorado Rapids	24	324.9%	430.7%
7	D. Edelman Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	23	2512.7%	436.9%
8	A. Perea Defensive midfielder	New York City FC	25	3774.3%	434.1%
9	O. Valencia Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	22	25	4319.2%
10	P. Stroud Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	24	28137.9%	438.7%
11	B. Diallo Defensive midfielder	FC Tulsa	23	18	42
12	V. Loturi Defensive midfielder	CF Montreal	25	311300%	4212.6%
13	A. Fortune Defensive midfielder	Atlanta United FC	23	2428.4%	421.4%
14	D. Gjengaar Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	22	1267.1%	421.5%
15	D. Marczuk Defensive midfielder	Real Salt Lake	22	18182.3%	424%
16	R. Donkor Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	21	18117.1%	422.7%
17	J. Atencio Defensive midfielder	Colorado Rapids	24	32102.6%	415.9%
18	J. Bartlett Defensive midfielder	Sporting Kansas City	20	22	41
19	E. Echenique Defensive midfielder	FC Cincinnati	22	21	41
20	H. Landry Defensive midfielder	Charleston Battery	25	28	41
21	N. Caliskan Defensive midfielder	Real Salt Lake	25	271185.7%	4013.9%
22	J. Pérez Defensive midfielder	Nashville SC	23	14626.3%	4011.5%
23	Alonso Coello Defensive midfielder	Toronto FC	26	3123.1%	394.4%
24	Y. Bright Defensive midfielder	Inter Miami	24	23±0%	3912.9%
25	O. Gene Defensive midfielder	Minnesota United FC	23	773.1%	3834.9%
26	B. Ojeda Defensive midfielder	Real Salt Lake	26	2725.7%	3817%
27	M. Longstaff Defensive midfielder	Toronto FC	26	1836.1%	3711.1%
28	J. Walti Defensive midfielder	Pittsburgh Riverhounds	26	14	36
29	M. Herrera Defensive midfielder	Columbus Crew	27	3422.2%	3625.4%
30	P. Bucha Defensive midfielder	FC Cincinnati	28	3511.9%	3520.5%
31	A. Rebollar Defensive midfielder	Monterey Bay	26	23	35
32	D. Chambost Defensive midfielder	Columbus Crew	28	36309%	35±0%
33	C. Durkin Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	26	2033.6%	3420.1%
34	A. Watts Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	26	1943.1%	348.4%
35	A. Shapiro-Thompson Defensive midfielder	Rhode Island	26	8	33
36	S. Djeffal Defensive midfielder	Lexington	27	21863.6%	326.9%
37	Z. Bassong Defensive midfielder	Sporting Kansas City	27	24177.3%	3213.3%
38	C. Allan Defensive midfielder	Charleston Battery	27	12	31
39	P. Ruiz Defensive midfielder	Real Salt Lake	27	133125%	317.5%
40	J. Bueno Defensive midfielder	Philadelphia Union	27	1335.7%	3016.4%
41	A. O'Neill Defensive midfielder	New York City FC	28	1627.8%	3038.5%
42	E. Löwen Defensive midfielder	St. Louis City	29	4533.4%	3015.9%
43	D. Diani Defensive midfielder	Charlotte	28	1830.7%	2824.9%
44	A. Molloy Defensive midfielder	Charleston Battery	29	25	27
45	A. Cubas Defensive midfielder	Vancouver Whitecaps	30	3413.6%	2712.5%
46	B. Anunga Defensive midfielder	FC Cincinnati	29	2245.8%	2711.7%
47	C. Ronan Defensive midfielder	Colorado Rapids	28	958.8%	2727.2%
48	O. Nwobodo Defensive midfielder	FC Cincinnati	29	2415.7%	2727.8%
49	F. Carballo Defensive midfielder	New York Red Bulls	29	2283.8%	2614.3%
50	C. Roldan Defensive midfielder	Seattle Sounders	31	4227.4%	2519.7%