Best and worst of American soccer in 2025: The appetizer before the World Cup main course

If 2026 is the soccer feast that U.S. soccer fans can’t wait to devour, the past year was an appetizer of savory treats and sour bites.

A summer before the World Cup is served across North America — at exorbitant market prices, mind you — the head chef in Zurich overcooked the Club World Cup and cozied up to political clientele.

The finest table was in South Florida, where an ageless artist continued wowing audiences with unforgettable dishes. The vanilla chain that employs him spiced things up with German and Korean flavors while also voting to embrace European sensibilities by changing its operating hours in 2027.

The 2025 soccer menu turned out to satisfy most tastes, and as a new year dawns, reviews are in order.

(Taylor Wilhelm/Yahoo Sports illustration)

USMNT rising

Culturally and tactically, Mauricio Pochettino finally got through to the U.S. men’s national team. The result was a five-game unbeaten streak to end the year and swelling optimism heading into a World Cup year.

After the lows of the Nations League last March, the Americans reached highs under their Argentine coach this fall. The most impressive performance came in the final match, a 5-1 demolition of Uruguay that was all but settled before halftime. And they did it without many mainstays, including Christian Pulisic, Tyler Adams and Weston McKennie.

Yes, it was just a friendly against a team oddly lost under famed coach Marcelo Bielsa, but a good result shouldn’t be minimized. The last camp also offered an opportunity to measure the impressive growth of young players integrated by Pochettino this past year, most notably Max Arfsten, Alex Freeman and Sebastian Berhalter.

Magnificent Messi

Someday we’ll look back at these MLS years and think, “Wow, Lionel Messi not only played here, but he was downright phenomenal, wasn’t he?”

Indeed, the Argentine magician became the first player in the league’s 30 seasons to win back-to-back MVP trophies after recording 29 goals and 19 assists in 28 regular-season matches and six goals and nine assists in six playoff games, culminating with two assists in Inter Miami’s championship victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Belying his 38 years, Messi performed with elegance and exuberance in elevating his club, the league and the sport in this country. And he’s not done: A contract extension will keep him in Miami’s distinctive pink jersey several more years.

Red card for FIFA

Gianni Infantino, president of soccer’s global governing body, likes to say FIFA is the “official happiness provider for humanity.”

After seeing World Cup ticket prices and the fees involved in reselling seats, most fans would vehemently disagree. FIFA ultimately lowered the cost for a small percentage of tickets, but anyone planning to attend the tournament next summer has come to realize it’s going to require a second mortgage.

Political fútbol

To ensure the World Cup goes off without a hitch, Infantino felt it necessary to lavish constant praise on U.S. President Donald Trump, visiting the Oval Office regularly and accompanying the U.S. leader on diplomatic missions in the Middle East.

The piece de resistance was Infantino inventing a FIFA peace prize to present to Trump at the World Cup draw, which, to appease Trump, was conducted at the Kennedy Center in Washington instead of Las Vegas.

Unnecessary soccer

On the surface, an expanded tournament to determine the best club in the world sounded cool. From a practical standpoint, though, it was much more complicated. Infantino’s 24-team brainchild took flight this summer across the United States.

But with most players weary from long seasons, many clubs participating begrudgingly, fans skeptical of the whole thing, complaints about field conditions and violent weather interrupting games, the Club World Cup was bizarre. Even the championship ceremony went sideways as Trump injected himself into Chelsea’s celebration at MetLife Stadium.

Single Espresso

“Triple Espresso” — the U.S. women’s vaunted attack featuring Trinity Rodman, Sophia Wilson and Mallory Swanson — was reduced to a lone shot this year. Wilson and Swanson were on maternity leave, while Rodman was limited to one appearance because of back and knee injuries.

Their absences, though, opened opportunities for inexperienced forwards Michelle Cooper, Ally Sentnor, Yazmeen Ryan and Emma Sears, who combined for 10 goals. Catarina Macario also stepped into a greater role, posting eight goals and two assists in 10 appearances.

Overall, in a year without major tournaments, coach Emma Hayes used 43 players in 15 matches, and 51 percent of the 69 combined goals and assists came from players 24 and younger.

The Rodman Rule?

Faced with losing Rodman overseas on a free transfer, the National Women’s Soccer League will adjust its salary-cap rules to accommodate marquee contracts. The league lost Naomi Girma and Alyssa Thompson to Chelsea and missed out on other Americans, such as Macario, who went straight to Europe years ago. Top to bottom, the NWSL is arguably the best in the world, but individual European clubs with deep pockets and no salary caps have become alluring to high-end NWSL players.

Pochettino’s best quotes

Though English is not his first language, Pochettino has produced some strong comments during his brief tenure.

He sent a message to players not fully bought into his plans by saying, "If you arrive to camp and you want to have a nice time, play golf, go for a dinner, visit my family, visit my friend, is that the culture that we want to create? No, no, no, no, no.”

Another time, flicking his wrist while holding an imaginary wand, he said, “You cannot be Harry Potter and you touch it to create chemistry.”

The best was when he put his foot down amid summer tension with Pulisic, declaring, “I am the coach. I am not a mannequin.”

MLS’ best decisions

The league will pause the 2026 season during almost the entire World Cup, getting out of the way of the summer spectacle in North America and conditioning the public for what’s to come starting in 2027. That is when MLS will permanently align with most European leagues by ditching its February-to-December schedule and playing from mid-to-late summer until the following spring (with a winter break and an emphasis on warm-weather venues in December and February).

MLS’ worst decision

With a long gap in early 2027 before the calendar change, the league will conduct a “sprint season” featuring 14 matches apiece and a playoff culminating with an MLS Cup final. The compact campaign is necessary for players to remain active before the 2027-28 season begins in July, but while the best team deserves recognition, a special trophy would be much more appropriate than a cheapened MLS Cup.

From best to (almost) worst

The Los Angeles Galaxy were not expected to repeat as MLS champions, not with playmaker Riqui Puig sidelined all year with an ACL injury and the long odds facing any MLS team pursuing back-to-back titles. But the precipitousness of the Galaxy’s fall was something to behold: winless in its first 16 matches before finishing last in the Western Conference. Three wins in the last four games elevated L.A. to 26th out of 30 in the overall standings. Despite the woes, Coach Greg Vanney was granted a mulligan – and a contract extension.

Continental divide

MLS likes to think it has made strides on the global landscape, but failure in the CONCACAF region says otherwise. Since D.C. United won the 1998 Champions Cup, league representatives have hoisted the trophy just twice: the Galaxy in 2000 and Seattle Sounders in 2022. This past year, Vancouver advanced to the final before getting smoked 5-0 by Cruz Azul — Mexico’s 19th crown in 20 years.

Older influence

MLS heralded the midseason arrival of two famous European-based players — Bayern Munich’s Thomas Müller, 36, to Vancouver and Tottenham Hotspur’s Son Heung-min, 33, to Los Angeles FC. While both made profound impacts and helped boost the league’s global visibility, lucrative spending on big names older than 30 reinforced the perception that MLS remains a retirement community for international stars.

Family matters

It was a very good year for the Berhalter family. Gregg, who coached the U.S. national team from 2018-24, resurfaced with the Chicago Fire and guided the MLS side to the playoffs for the first time since 2017. His son, Sebastian, enjoyed a breakout season for both Vancouver and the USMNT — performances that enhanced his World Cup roster hopes.

Family matters II

Michael Bradley — the former U.S. standout who retired two years ago — is following in his father’s footsteps, rising to head coach of the New York Red Bulls in December following four months in charge of the club’s developmental team. Michael, now 38, launched his midfield career with the New Jersey-based club formerly known as the MetroStars, playing for his father Bob, whose coaching career spanned four other MLS teams, the U.S. and Egyptian national teams and three European clubs.

Playoffs? What playoffs?

The Kansas City Current (21-3-2) and Louisville City (22-1-7) were close to unbeatable in the regular season, but in the playoffs, the respective top seeds in the NWSL and second-flight USL Championship (men) were ousted in their first match. MLS frontrunner Philadelphia was not as dominant as those leaders, but after winning the Supporters’ Shield, the Union was done in the Eastern Conference semifinals. One Knoxville SC got it right, winning both the regular season and playoff crowns in third-division USL League One (men).

Regular season? What regular season?

In the 2023 and ‘25 NWSL regular seasons, Gotham FC had a combined record of 17-15-16 and slipped into the playoffs as the lowest seed. Both times, though, it ended up winning the championship. This fall, No. 8 Gotham stunned No. 1 Kansas City in the quarterfinals and edged No. 4 Orlando in the semifinals before defeating No. 2 Washington — all decided by goals in the 80th minute or later. Rose Lavelle was the championship hero.

USL’s big ideas

The United Soccer League — which operates multiple lower divisions – unveiled ambitious plans to launch not only a first-tier circuit in 2027-28 to compete with MLS, but a European-style promotion-relegation system between its three pro tiers. The USL, though, still needs to get its unstable house in order: Multiple teams suspended operations in recent years, many venues are inadequate and overall attendance remains low.

Every second counts

College soccer goes against the grain by keeping the official time on the scoreboard, counting down instead of up and stopping the clock instead of adding stoppage time. While purists roll their eyes, the untraditional method does bring countdown drama.

In the Division I women’s tournament, Texas Christian got even with reigning champion North Carolina with six seconds left, then won a shootout to advance to the quarterfinals.

In the Division III men’s final, Tufts equalized with four seconds to go before downing Trinity (Texas) on a golden goal in extra time.

Lo’ and behold

Is there anyone who enjoys playing soccer more than Lo’eau Labonta? The Kansas City midfielder celebrates goals as though she is rehearsing for a dance recital or talent contest. This season, her balletic fouette earned perfect 10s. Even better, at age 32, she became in May the oldest player to make a U.S. national team debut.

“A dream come true,” she beamed.