SOCCER · 5 hours ago

Top 10 MLS Players Right Now: Messi, Musa & 2026 Star Rankings

Joe Cervenka

Host · Writer

Have Your Say! Who is the Best Players in MLS?
Sound Off: Who's Your Top MLS Star?

We’ve laid out our top 10 players tearing up Major League Soccer right now, but soccer is all about debate!

The MVP Race: Does Lionel Messi still hold the absolute top spot, or are you riding with pure goal-scoring monsters like Petar Musa or Hugo Cuypers?

The Playmaker Crown: Who has been more impactful as a setup man, Son Heung-Min in LA or Evander in Cincinnati?

The Midfield Steal: Has Nicolás Fernández's 12-goal surge out of midfield for NYCFC been the biggest surprise of the 2026 season?

Drop your thoughts, hot takes, and top 10 lists in the comments!
MLS Player Rankings
In a League of Their Own: Ranking the Top 10 MLS Players Right Now

The 2026 MLS campaign is delivering pure cinema week in and week out. Between international megastars setting stadiums on fire and rising talents making defensive lines look foolish on a weekly basis, the level of play across Major League Soccer has reached an all-time high. But who is actually driving the bus right now?

We audited the 2026 stat sheets, match tape, and game-tilting impact to rank the absolute top 10 players tearing up the pitch in MLS today. From world champions to ruthless goal-monsters, here is the power ranking of the league's elite.
10. Mbekezeli Mbokazi
Chicago Fire FC
- Position: Defender | Nationality: South Africa
- 2026 MLS Stats: 12 Starts, 0 Goals, 0 Assists, 21 Total Actions
At just 20 years old, Mbokazi has established himself as one of the most composed, athletic young center-backs in North America. Holding down the backline for Chicago across 12 solid starts, his 1-on-1 lockdown ability and composure under pressure make him an indispensable defensive anchor for the Fire.
9. Sebastian Berhalter
Vancouver Whitecaps
- Position: Midfielder | Nationality: USA
- 2026 MLS Stats: 13 Starts (1 Sub), 6 Goals, 7 Assists, 34 Shots
Berhalter is having a true breakout campaign in Vancouver, playing like a bona fide All-Star. With 6 goals and 7 assists in 13 starts, he's evolved into a dynamic box-to-box threat who strikes from distance and orchestrates set pieces with dangerous accuracy.
8. Rodrigo De Paul
Inter Miami CF
- Position: Midfielder | Nationality: Argentina
- 2026 MLS Stats: 13 Starts, 4 Goals, 7 Assists, 24 Shots
Bringing the World Cup-winning engine to South Florida was an absolute masterstroke. De Paul gives Inter Miami an elite combination of tactical grit and midfield poise, popping up with 4 goals and 7 assists while covering every blade of grass. He connects defense to attack effortlessly and elevates everyone around him.
7. Anders Dreyer
San Diego FC
- Position: Forward | Nationality: Denmark
- 2026 MLS Stats: 16 Starts (1 Sub), 6 Goals, 9 Assists, 56 Shots
San Diego FC’s inaugural run needed a true talisman, and Dreyer stepped up to deliver the goods. The Danish winger has been a creative machine down the flank, racking up 9 assists alongside 6 goals. His ability to unlock low blocks has made San Diego one of the most fun watches in the entire league.
6. Son Heung-Min
LAFC
- Position: Forward | Nationality: South Korea
- 2026 MLS Stats: 15 Starts (1 Sub), 3 Goals, 9 Assists, 53 Shots
Son brought instant world-class gravity to Los Angeles the second he put on the Black and Gold. While he's got 3 goals of his own, his vision has been the real story, dishing out 9 assists and tearing open defensive structures to set up teammates every single weekend. LAFC's attack is practically unstoppable with him pulling defenders away.
5. Evander | FC Cincinnati
- Position: Midfielder | Nationality: Brazil
- 2026 MLS Stats: 15 Starts (1 Sub), 10 Goals, 8 Assists, 58 Shots
Cincinnati's Brazilian maestro is playing pure, uncut champagne football. Evander is double-digit dangerous in every sense, stacking 10 goals and 8 assists while dictating the tempo of every match he touches. He's the complete offensive engine that keeps Cincy operating in the upper echelon of the Eastern Conference.
4. Nicolás Fernández
New York City FC
- Position: Midfielder | Nationality: Argentina
- 2026 MLS Stats: 17 Starts, 12 Goals, 4 Assists, 45 Shots
Fernández has turned Yankee Stadium and Citi Field into his personal playground. Pumping 12 goals from the midfield across 17 starts is an absurd output, giving NYCFC an elite dual-threat engine who can surge forward and finish chances just as effectively as any primary striker in the league.
3. Hugo Cuypers
Chicago Fire FC
- Position: Forward | Nationality: Belgium
- 2026 MLS Stats: 11 Starts, 13 Goals, 1 Assist, 40 Shots
Talk about maximum efficiency. Cuypers has been on an unhinged tear for Chicago, operating as clinically as they come with 13 goals on just 40 total shots. Finding the back of the net more than once per start, the Belgian frontman is putting the Fire on his back and torching backlines with world-class off-ball movement.
2. Petar Musa
FC Dallas
- Position: Forward | Nationality: Croatia
- 2026 MLS Stats: 13 Starts (2 Sub), 13 Goals, 2 Assists, 54 Shots
FC Dallas has a certified goal-scoring monster on their hands. Musa has been an absolute nightmare for opposing center-backs, bagging 13 goals in 13 starts with ruthless efficiency. His physical presence inside the 18-yard box, paired with a lethal finishing instinct, makes him one of the most feared strikers on the continent.
1. Lionel Messi
Inter Miami CF
- Position: Forward | Nationality: Argentina
- 2026 MLS Stats: 14 Starts, 12 Goals, 8 Assists, 84 Shots
Age is just a number when you have a golden left foot that bends reality. Messi continues to turn every Inter Miami match into his personal highlight reel, dropping 12 goals and 8 dimes in just 14 starts. Whether he's pulling the strings from deep or picking out the top corner from distance, the GOAT remains the undisputed king of Major League Soccer.
Have Your Say! Who is the Best Players in MLS?
Sound Off: Who's Your Top MLS Star?

We’ve laid out our top 10 players tearing up Major League Soccer right now, but soccer is all about debate!

The MVP Race: Does Lionel Messi still hold the absolute top spot, or are you riding with pure goal-scoring monsters like Petar Musa or Hugo Cuypers?

The Playmaker Crown: Who has been more impactful as a setup man, Son Heung-Min in LA or Evander in Cincinnati?

The Midfield Steal: Has Nicolás Fernández's 12-goal surge out of midfield for NYCFC been the biggest surprise of the 2026 season?

Drop your thoughts, hot takes, and top 10 lists in the comments!
MLS Player Rankings
In a League of Their Own: Ranking the Top 10 MLS Players Right Now

The 2026 MLS campaign is delivering pure cinema week in and week out. Between international megastars setting stadiums on fire and rising talents making defensive lines look foolish on a weekly basis, the level of play across Major League Soccer has reached an all-time high. But who is actually driving the bus right now?

We audited the 2026 stat sheets, match tape, and game-tilting impact to rank the absolute top 10 players tearing up the pitch in MLS today. From world champions to ruthless goal-monsters, here is the power ranking of the league's elite.

Top 10 MLS Players Right Now: Messi, Musa & 2026 Star Rankings

Sound Off: Who's Your Top MLS Star?

In a League of Their Own: Ranking the Top 10 MLS Players Right Now

Chicago Fire FC

Vancouver Whitecaps

Inter Miami CF

San Diego FC

LAFC

New York City FC

Chicago Fire FC

FC Dallas

Inter Miami CF

Sound Off: Who's Your Top MLS Star?

In a League of Their Own: Ranking the Top 10 MLS Players Right Now

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