The USMNT Player Performance Index: Top 50 Americans of 2025
As the March international break approaches, the USMNT prepares for the Nations League semifinals on Thursday and potentially the final on Sunday. These competitions represent some of the final competitive matches under coach Mauricio Pochettino before next year's World Cup. While the U.S. has dominated this tournament—winning all three previous editions—these games simultaneously mean everything and nothing. What truly matters is the health and development of the players.
To assess the current state of American soccer talent, ESPN has unveiled the first edition of the USMNT Player Performance Index for 2025, ranking all eligible players based on their club performances.
How the Rankings Work
The methodology behind these rankings is straightforward, with three main factors:
- Playing time: What percentage of a team's available domestic minutes has a player participated in?
- Team quality: What is the team's rating in Opta's global power ranking system?
- Wisdom of the crowds: What's the player's crowd-sourced transfer value according to Transfermarkt?
For non-MLS players, playing time accounts for 20% of the rating, team quality makes up 75%, and estimated transfer value contributes the remaining 5%. MLS players are evaluated differently since their season just began: 20% team rating, 10% playing time, and 70% transfer value.
Notable absences from the top 50 include goalkeepers Matt Turner (who hasn't played a minute in the Premier League) and Zack Steffen, as well as defender Tim Ream—perhaps unfairly penalized by his age (37) affecting his transfer value.
The Elite: Top 10 American Players
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Antonee Robinson, left back, Fulham (unchanged)
Robinson has established himself as one of the Premier League's best left backs, playing 97% of available minutes this season for a Fulham team with outside chances at Champions League qualification. Only six outfield players in England's top flight have been on the field for a larger percentage of their team's game time, solidifying his status as "one of the best Americans ever." -
Christian Pulisic, attacking midfielder, Milan (unchanged)
Widely considered "the best American ever," Pulisic has finally found consistency at the club level. Over the past two Serie A seasons, he has combined for 35 goals plus assists—a number surpassed by only three players in the league: Inter Milan's Lautaro Martínez and Marcus Thuram, plus Atalanta's Ademola Lookman. -
Weston McKennie, midfielder, Juventus (▲ 11 spots)
McKennie continues his pattern of gradually winning over new managers. Despite another season beginning with limited minutes, he has now played nearly two-thirds of Juventus's Serie A minutes, with even defensive-minded manager Thiago Motta unable to resist McKennie's attacking instincts. -
Brenden Aaronson, attacking midfielder, Leeds United (▲ 2)
Aaronson is enjoying a bounce-back season after some challenging years. Though Leeds might not automatically qualify for Premier League promotion, they've been the Championship's best team by a wide margin, with an expected goal differential nearly three times better than any competitor—all with Aaronson playing nearly 90% of available minutes. -
Malik Tillman, attacking midfielder, PSV Eindhoven (▼ 2)
Tillman appeared to be making significant progress this season, becoming a full-time starter at PSV after serving as a rotation option last year. He maintained his impressive production despite increased minutes before an ankle injury in January sidelined him for over two months. -
Joe Scally, right back, Borussia Monchengladbach (▼ 2)
Scally's early career achievements remain remarkable. Among players 22 or under, only five have played more career minutes in Europe's "Big Five" leagues: Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, Florian Wirtz, Destiny Udogie, and Pedri. -
Mark McKenzie, center back, Toulouse (▼ 2)
McKenzie's impact since moving from Belgium to France has been substantial. Last season, Toulouse allowed the 11th-fewest expected goals in Ligue 1. This season, with McKenzie playing 86% of available minutes, only Paris Saint-Germain has a better defensive record. -
Yunus Musah, midfielder, Milan (▲ 5)
Despite Milan's organizational chaos, Musah has increased his playing time while demonstrating versatility across multiple positions. His impact, both on and off the ball, appears to be growing. -
Timothy Weah, right-back, Juventus (▼ 2)
Weah's situation at Juventus has been unusual, often alternating playing time with McKennie despite having vastly different player profiles. Recently, he's been starting regularly—oddly enough as a fullback rather than a wingback—though Juventus's recent 7-0 aggregate loss across two matches might prompt tactical changes. -
Chris Richards, center back, Crystal Palace (▲ 25)
Crystal Palace has been among the Premier League's best teams since January, with Richards playing all but seven minutes during this surge. The potential Richards-McKenzie center back pairing looks especially promising for the national team.
Rising and Falling Stars
Several players have made significant moves in the rankings. Tyler Adams (Bournemouth) has jumped 19 spots to #14, now consistently playing professional soccer again after injury struggles. At Bournemouth, he leads Premier League players in tackles per 90 minutes among those with at least 13 full matches played.
Johnny Cardoso (Real Betis) has climbed 12 spots to #13, while Tanner Tessmann (Lyon) has moved up 18 spots to #24 after becoming a regular starter during Lyon's push for Champions League qualification.
On the flip side, Ricardo Pepi (PSV Eindhoven) has dropped 15 spots to #26 despite impressive statistical production, and Folarin Balogun (Monaco) has fallen 12 spots to #27.
The list includes several emerging talents like Santiago Castañeda (#18), a 20-year-old uncapped midfielder playing regularly for third-place Paderborn in Germany's second division, and Noahkai Banks (#43), an 18-year-old defender whose presence coincides with Augsburg's strong results.
As international matches approach, the USMNT's player pool shows encouraging depth across positions, with notable strength developing at center back and in midfield—areas where the team has historically lacked depth. While goalkeeper remains a position of uncertainty due to Matt Turner's lack of playing time at Crystal Palace, Columbus Crew's Patrick Schulte (#40) provides a steady alternative after consistent performances for "what has probably been the best team in MLS over the past two-plus seasons."
With the World Cup on the horizon in 2026, this ranking provides a valuable snapshot of where American talent stands in early 2025, highlighting both established stars and rising prospects across Europe's top leagues and MLS.
