{"id":610813,"date":"2026-02-23T16:42:34","date_gmt":"2026-02-23T16:42:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/610813\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T16:42:34","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T16:42:34","slug":"2026-mls-anonymous-executive-survey-part-1-key-figures-on-leagues-bests-worsts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/610813\/","title":{"rendered":"2026 MLS Anonymous Executive Survey, Part 1: Key figures on league\u2019s bests, worsts"},"content":{"rendered":"

Once again, we have polled top team soccer officials from around MLS \u2014\u00a0chief soccer officers, general managers, technical directors and sporting directors \u2014\u00a0for their takes on the best (and sometimes worst) offerings in the league.<\/p>\n

Last year<\/a>, such officials correctly had FC Cincinnati and Inter Miami top of voting for Supporters\u2019 Shield and MLS Cup contenders, but missed out on the Philadelphia Union being the actual Shield winner. They loved Atlanta United\u2019s moves for Miguel Almir\u00f3n and Emmanuel Latte Lath (a miss), but nailed Patrick Agyemang as the best value contract, with his production eventually leading to a move to the English Championship.<\/p>\n

We\u2019re back for Year 5 of the survey, in which we spoke to 22 execs across the league (representatives of all 30 teams were contacted, but some declined to participate or did not respond). In exchange for their candor, participants received full anonymity, and no respondents could to vote for anyone associated with their own clubs.<\/p>\n

In Part 1, we polled on the best players, transfers, rosters, coaches, sporting directors, stadiums and training facilities. In tomorrow\u2019s Part 2, the focus shifts to bigger-picture league issues, with a focus on the World Cup\u2019s impact.<\/p>\n

Onto the survey (you can use the tabs at the bottom of your screen to scroll more easily between topics):<\/p>\n

\"Inter<\/p>\n

\n It\u2019s little surprise that executives around MLS believe Inter Miami will repeat as league champion (Sam Navarro \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Clubs<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

The majority of CSOs believe Miami and Lionel Messi will win a second consecutive MLS Cup. \u201cWith the (Germ\u00e1n) Berterame signing and Micael coming in to sort out the issues,\u201d one executive said, \u201cwhatever issues you think they had in the back, it\u2019s hard to see anyone being able to outlast Miami this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

LAFC, which soundly beat Miami to open the season<\/a>, was another popular favorite. The caveat, said one CSO, is whether the club can hold onto striker Denis Bouanga. Seattle, with two votes, continues to garner respect in front offices.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Miami dominated here as well, which tells you how strong many believe the defending champions will be in 2026. For the executives, it was a virtual no-brainer to predict an MLS Cup and Supporters\u2019 Shield double. \u201cThey\u2019re really f***ing good,\u201d one CSO said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just don\u2019t think there\u2019s anyone in the West that\u2019s going to be consistent enough over the course of the year,\u201d said another. While there is plenty of respect for LAFC, Miami\u2019s core, new No. 9 and deeper squad suggest that it will be the most consistent team in 2026.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

At one point during the survey, Berterame and Espinoza were deadlocked. Both signings were applauded by CSOs across the board. Espinoza\u2019s arrival on a free transfer shocked fans, and CSOs were surprised, too. \u201cAre you kidding me? A free transfer?\u201d one CSO asked in jest. \u201cEspinoza is a good fit for Nashville,\u201d said another. \u201cAnd obviously with the opportunity there after San Jose f***ed it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

Berterame, signed from Monterrey for a reported $15 million, eventually won out. A naturalized Mexican citizen, he\u2019s expected to make Mexico\u2019s World Cup roster. \u201cThey didn\u2019t have a real dog up top,\u201d said one executive. \u201c(Luis) Su\u00e1rez was on his last legs last year. They\u2019re going to be better this year.\u201d<\/p>\n

One CSO labeled Freeman\u2019s transfer \u201ca great testament to the league and to what we\u2019re trying to do.\u201d Minnesota\u2019s swoop for James was deemed \u201cvery smart\u201d by one executive. \u201cWith the amount of open space that MLS offers, James could surprise people,\u201d one said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

In what turned into a theme in the early going, there was a lot of admiration for Miami\u2019s roster and its ambition. \u201cIt\u2019s unlike anything we\u2019ve seen before in MLS,\u201d one CSO said. \u201c(Tadeo) Allende as a non-DP. Berterame is a top, top MLS player. Adding (goalkeeper Dayne) St. Clair. It\u2019s wild what they\u2019ve been able to do. They got better this year, which is scary.\u201d<\/p>\n

That Houston so decisively finished second in the voting was somewhat of a surprise. They had major roster turnover, declining options or moving on from a huge chunk of the 2025 squad and adding Bogusz and Brazilian Guilherme as the marquee signings.<\/p>\n

\"LAFC's<\/p>\n

\n Denis Bouanga has been a prolific goalscorer in MLS for the last three seasons (Kiyoshi Mio \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Players<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

With Messi and Son objectively on their own tier, we made them untouchable. That led to a two-horse race between Bouanga and Evander, who swapped places from last year\u2019s survey. The Cincinnati star, who exited opening night with an injury after 15 minutes, still commands a lot of praise.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s gotta be him,\u201d said a CSO of Evander. \u201cThat guy is filthy, man,\u201d said another. But Bouanga rolled off the tongue of more CSOs. He is universally feared by his opponents, as one CSO explained. \u201cHe\u2019s powerful. He\u2019s fast. He causes problems for defenses, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Miami\u2019s newly minted signing and reigning MLS Goalkeeper of the Year took the nod over B\u00fcrki, who CSOs picked in 2025. One executive said that Kahlina \u201cis the best when he\u2019s hot,\u201d a subtle acknowledgment of his inconsistency.<\/p>\n

One CSO believes MLS is in a rut when it comes to the goalkeeper position. \u201cI feel, bizarrely, that it\u2019s not a very good time in our league for goalkeepers.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Few CSOs voiced clear confidence in their pick. \u201cWe need to get some better defenders in this league,\u201d one exec said.<\/p>\n

Picking of the current crop \u201cdepends on what you want,\u201d another CSO said. \u201cI\u2019d take Andrade over Glesnes any day, but Glesnes is a workhorse and a beast. If you play a high line, I think it\u2019s probably Blackmon.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Glesnes trade to the Galaxy earned some overall praise: \u201cThat was a great move,\u201d one CSO said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

One caveat: we took No. 10s out of the equation for this category to focus on some of the less-heralded midfielders.<\/p>\n

San Diego\u2019s Danish midfielder Tverskov stood out, his cerebral approach establishing himself as a fundamental part of coach Mikey Varas\u2019 possession-based tactics.<\/p>\n

A monumental 2025 for Berhalter impressed several CSOs, too. \u201cTalk about a guy with a great mentality,\u201d said one executive. \u201cHe had a major breakout year and now he\u2019s a national team guy.\u201d<\/p>\n

Roldan, a U.S. World Cup hopeful<\/a>, earned plaudits. \u201cCristian is super smart as a player and he competes for everything,\u201d a CSO said. \u201cIf they take him out of that team, I don\u2019t know what happens to them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Shoutout to M\u00fcller, who finally got a nod in a category in the survey, and to Musa, whom multiple CSOs referred to in their \u201cother votes\u201d categories as they mulled potential winners before ultimately landing on Bouanga or Evander.<\/p>\n

Bouanga may not be the most technical player in the league apart from Messi or Son. His strengths lie in his ability to be among the most decisive players, though. \u201cHe\u2019s just so effective,\u201d an executive said.<\/p>\n

\"\"\u201cPerennial,\u201d one CSO said of Roldan, the most universally loved player in the survey.\u00a0 \u201cHe just wins,\u201d another said. \u201cHe doesn\u2019t know anything else but winning.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cZawadzki is absolutely excellent,\u201d one CSO added. \u201cThat he can do what he does in central midfield and center back for a team that plays like that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dreyer got mentions in the best attacking player category, but no votes \u2014 and just one vote in this one.<\/p>\n

\u201cDreyer is insane,\u201d one CSO said. \u201c19 (goals) and 19 (assists). Insane season.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"It was 18-year-old American Zavier Gozo, an RSL striker, that won out in this category.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to cheat a little bit and say the Gozo kid from Salt Lake,\u201d one CSO said, pointing to The Athletic\u2019s Tom Bogert reporting<\/a> that Gozo is already attracting interest from Aston Villa and Atl\u00e9tico Madrid.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Berhalter made MLS Best XI last season on just $385,000 \u2014\u00a0a bargain. He is in contract negotiations, and multiple CSOs mentioned that the numbers being discussed will most certainly disqualify him from this category.<\/p>\n

The other vote-getters show how value can be seen differently. It wasn\u2019t just minimum-deal players as the likes of Zinckernagel and Martinez were seen as bargains because they produced at DP levels on non-DP deals.<\/p>\n

\"Vancouver<\/p>\n

\n Jesper S\u00f8rensen made an immediate impact upon taking over the Vancouver Whitecaps (Jerome Miron \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Coaches and front office<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There is some recency bias, but it\u2019s hard to argue against the impact of S\u00f8rensen, who turned the Whitecaps into one of the best teams in MLS, with appearances in both the Concacaf Champions Cup and MLS Cup finals. He was rewarded Friday with a new deal through 2027-28.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the body of work he did last year, and in multiple competitions,\u201d one GM said.<\/p>\n

\u201cA quick turnaround he\u2019s engineered over there,\u201d another said.<\/p>\n

Jansen got love, too, including in the below category. There was also one odd vote: Sorber, the former USMNT defender and longtime MLS assistant coach who is now a lieutenant under RBNY head coach Michael Bradley.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know he\u2019s an assistant coach \u2026 but if you look at his record as an assistant his teams always win,\u201d the CSO said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Varas came up time and again on the previous question as one to keep an eye on, so it was no surprise he ended up taking this category.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe had an MLS Next Pro guy at right back playing for the first time \u2026 and they blew out Pumas,\u201d one CSO said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe might have to say Mikey Varas (for best coach) if they keep playing like this,\u201d another CSO said. \u201cThey don\u2019t have a lot of big-money players. Dreyer is a $5 million player, but they have kids who keep coming in and playing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schmetzer got more votes here than he did above despite his success and trophies with the Sounders.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll they\u2019ve done is win forever,\u201d one CSO said. \u201cThey win all the time and they win a trophy every year.\u201d<\/p>\n

Carnell earned votes in both categories, as well: \u201cHe has a really defined philosophy,\u201d one CSO said. \u201cYou saw what he did the first year in St. Louis and then they just got their personnel all wrong. But the best players keep getting ripped out of that Philly team and they just find a way to keep it turning over because he\u2019s a system coach.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jansen was a top vote-getter across the two categories, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe does a really good job there without much,\u201d one exec said.<\/p>\n

And one CSO acknowledged that the job in Miami isn\u2019t as easy as it might look from the outside.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt sounds weird, but I do think Javier Mascherano did a fantastic job,\u201d he said. \u201cEveryone talks about Messi. I think being a coach in Miami, you have to handle all those personalities and all the noise that comes with that. I actually don\u2019t think he\u2019s gotten enough credit for it.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

It isn\u2019t often in MLS that we see sporting directors move from one team to another, and it\u2019s clear that those around the league see Sporting Kansas City\u2019s move to sign Lee as a smart one.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a big deal, I think,\u201d one CSO said.<\/p>\n

Columbus\u2019s move to replace Nancy with Rydstr\u00f6m also gained a ton of momentum.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen you have a coach like Wilfried who plays such a unique style, it\u2019s hard to go to market and get something quite close and they managed to do that with an experienced coach,\u201d one CSO said.<\/p>\n

Martino\u2019s return to Atlanta got plenty of love, too, and LAFC got praise for what some might have seen as an unsexy hire.<\/p>\n

Dos Santos \u201cis such an impressive soccer mind,\u201d one exec said. \u201cI think he\u2019s a really good fit at LAFC.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s winner took the title again, and it was clear there was admiration for how consistent LAFC has been \u2013 which is no easy task in MLS, a league designed to break up winning teams and maintain competitive balance above all else.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019ve been so good since Day 1,\u201d one CSO said.<\/p>\n

Waibel moved up this year after the Sounders won Leagues Cup last year on an increasingly tight budget.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This is always an interesting category, as it gives an insiders look at the less forward-facing executives who are earning a solid reputation.<\/p>\n

Tierney, the former Revs left back, impressed colleagues during his time working in New England under Bruce Arena and Curt Onalfo, while Prizant, a former Inter Miami scout, has had a huge impact in San Diego right away and quickly moved up the list.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This was one of a few new categories we threw in, and it got a few jokes from CSOs wondering if it would look like they were trying to take a friend\u2019s job \u2014 or if it meant people were vying for their job.<\/p>\n

In reality, this was about trying to gauge what CSOs saw as the best jobs due to a mix of attributes: ownership, market, facilities and budget. It\u2019s no surprise that it is almost all the highest-spending teams in the league that garnered votes, with LAFC winning out.<\/p>\n

\u201cA great balance of city, investment from ownership and a little bit of glamor,\u201d one CSO said. \u201cThey\u2019re competitive. It\u2019s structured.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOwnership, location, resources, city brand,\u201d another executive said. \u201cWith LAFC you\u2019re just dealt such an incredible hand in that seat. Not every market has stars lining up for you at a discount. (Thorrington) has a stacked deck.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Fire might move further up this list once the new stadium opens in 2028.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt seems like they have unlimited resources, and it\u2019s the right market and opportunity to create something special,\u201d another GM said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

This section spawned an array of answers, though it was once again the stability, spending and talent of LAFC, plus working with Thorrington, that won out.<\/p>\n

\u201cJust the amount of good players they get,\u201d one GM said. \u201cYou can be a poor coach and do really well there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Said one GM of Cincinnati: \u201cIt\u2019s a mix of their current team and the resources they consistently bring to the table.\u201d<\/p>\n

Others pointed to the global reach of San Diego, NYCFC and RBNY.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think the fact that (San Diego) gives their coach an opportunity to play an exciting style of play, they work with their coach, give them players that fit that game model,\u201d one CSO said. \u201cThey have expectations to try to win games, but they\u2019re also built around the idea of trying to give young players a chance to play.\u201d<\/p>\n

Said another: \u201cWhen (NYCFC) get their new stadium<\/a>, that\u2019s going to be pretty sweet to be a coach there and have a brand new building over in Queens.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"FC<\/p>\n

\n FC Cincinnati fans have a gem of a home stadium (Katie Stratman \/ Imagn Images)<\/p>\n

Facilities<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

One clear favorite in each conference emerged. It\u2019s no surprise, as Cincinnati\u2019s building, which opened in 2021, has earned high praise internationally. MLS GMs pointed to the facilities in the stadium, the quality of the field and the fan experience and ambiance as reasons why it was top \u2014 with similar comments for LAFC\u2019s home.<\/p>\n

One CSO said his vote for Q2 Stadium was for the field quality, which ranks as among the very best in the country.<\/p>\n

The vote for Providence Park stood out.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou walk down the steep hill to get down so it\u2019s like you\u2019re like a gladiator walking into the Colosseum,\u201d the CSO said.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

A baseball stadium, a football stadium, a multi-purpose stadium, two of the oldest soccer specific-stadiums in MLS and \u2026 Audi Field, opened just eight years ago in Southwest D.C.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s so f***ing bad,\u201d one CSO said. \u201cJust the way they built out that one side where it\u2019s just like a cavern underneath. It\u2019s just very bizarre.\u201d<\/p>\n

Said another: \u201cTheir field is a disgrace. It\u2019s not at our level.\u201d<\/p>\n

The turf and environment at Gillette was a no-surprise top vote-getter. \u201cThe vibe, the location, everything,\u201d one CSO said.<\/p>\n

BC Place, however, took the top spot. It has been in the news for the revenue issues it presents the Whitecaps, but teams don\u2019t like playing there, either. \u201cBoth New England and Vancouver are too big for their teams, they both have turf. If I had to pick one, Vancouver\u2019s turf is worse.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s on concrete and it\u2019s indoors,\u201d another CSO said. \u201cNot a great start.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

After a $25 million expansion to its training facility, which has separate spaces for the first team, second team and academy sides, Atlanta ran away with this category. The new content studio is another impressive addition. \u201cAtlanta\u2019s is pretty incredible,\u201d a CSO claimed.<\/p>\n

Many noted they could only vote for the facilities they had seen, saying they were excited to visit Chicago and San Diego, both of which recently opened and have earned high praise.<\/p>\n

Chicago\u2019s Endeavor Health Performance Center was billed by one executive as \u201coutrageous.\u201d \u201cIt\u2019s gotta be the best,\u201d the CSO added. Inter Miami, Columbus and San Diego all received votes. San Diego\u2019s ambitious set-up was called out by one CSO. \u201cThey didn\u2019t have to build a stadium, so they had some funny money. They built a school instead.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

There are times when CSOs don\u2019t want to hurt feelings or sound too harsh. But when it comes to training facilities, honesty really comes through.<\/p>\n

\u201cSan Jose\u2019s locker rooms are tiny. It\u2019s very poor,\u201d said one executive.<\/p>\n

As for the others, \u201cAny training ground where players still get changed in the stadium,\u201d a CSO said. \u201cThat\u2019s Dallas and Colorado. That feels like a bygone era in MLS.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cMinnesota\u2019s is also bad,\u201d added another. \u201cIt\u2019s in the basement of a building. At least they have some space.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regarding Houston\u2019s, one CSO said, \u201cThey\u2019re sharing it with the women\u2019s team, the academy, the second team and the first team all in the same building, which isn\u2019t very big. It\u2019s too crowded.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Once again, we have polled top team soccer officials from around MLS \u2014\u00a0chief soccer officers, general managers, technical…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":610814,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_share_on_mastodon":"0"},"categories":[45],"tags":[48832,44466,21478,11222,140741,121797,34675,140742,61112,15519,9499,6074,6068,79140,9501,6656,140744,89028,29097,18289,6073,8895,78395,66783,15520,21601,36219,221,140743,62,222,125016,29098,67,132,68,65858],"class_list":["post-610813","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-soccer","tag-atlanta-united-fc","tag-austin-fc","tag-charlotte-fc","tag-chicago-fire","tag-club-de-foot-montreal","tag-colorado-rapids","tag-columbus-crew","tag-dc-united","tag-fc-cincinnati","tag-fc-dallas","tag-houston-dynamo","tag-inter-miami-cf","tag-los-angeles-fc","tag-los-angeles-galaxy","tag-minnesota-united-fc","tag-mls","tag-nashville-soccer-club","tag-new-england-revolution","tag-new-york-city-fc","tag-new-york-red-bulls","tag-orlando-city-sc","tag-philadelphia-union","tag-portland-timbers","tag-real-salt-lake","tag-san-diego-fc","tag-san-jose-earthquakes","tag-seattle-sounders-fc","tag-soccer","tag-sporting-kc","tag-sports","tag-sports-business","tag-st-louis-city-sc","tag-toronto-fc","tag-united-states","tag-unitedstates","tag-us","tag-vancouver-whitecaps-fc"],"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"","error":"Validation failed: Text character limit of 500 exceeded"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610813","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=610813"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/610813\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/610814"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=610813"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=610813"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=610813"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}