Sports
Messi stays number 1
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Patrick Onwuka
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Apr 8, 2025
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The 2025 MLS season is now firmly underway, which means it's time for ESPN's Power Rankings.
Who's climbing the table? Who's in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 7 to come up with this week's order of all 30 teams in the league. Let's dive in.
1. Inter Miami CF
Previous ranking: 1
Inter Miami got its customary goal from Lionel Messi, but only after conceding to Federico Bernardeschi. In spite of the 1-1 draw with Toronto FC, Miami keeps the top spot having remained undefeated and with their focus on this week's Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal, second leg, with LAFC.
2. Columbus Crew
Previous ranking: 2
The Crew took care of business early, with goals in the 11th and 26th minutes to push head coach Wilfried Nancy past former team CF Montreal 2-1. They remain the league's only undefeated team aside from Miami.
3. Vancouver Whitecaps
Previous ranking: 3
There were no Concacaf Champions Cup distractions here. Despite a trip to Mexico City to face Pumas in the CCC quarterfinals approaching, Jesper Sørensen's bunch convincingly dispatched the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, and remain atop the Western Conference.
4. San Diego FC
Previous ranking: 5
For weeks we've been wondering what this team would look like with star winger Hirving Lozano at his best. We got a glimpse of it as "Chucky" registered an assist and a goal in a 3-0 win over the Seattle Sounders. Scary.
5. Philadelphia Union
Previous ranking: 4
The Union keep their place in the top five despite a scoreless draw with Orlando City at Subaru Park. Bottling up an Orlando attack that had 15 goals in six matches coming into the contest is a huge plus, even if the Union couldn't break through with a goal of their own.
6. Minnesota United
Previous ranking: 7
Direct and dominant in a 2-1 win over New York City FC at Yankee Stadium, the Loons' season-opening loss is a distant memory with six straight weeks undefeated.
7. FC Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 6
Despite star attacker Evander missing out because of a knee injury and having other key players out as well, FC Cincinnati still found a way to top the New England Revolution, 1-0.
9. Charlotte FC
Previous ranking: 8
It took a late flurry of offense, but midfielder Pep Biel helped jolt Charlotte FC into a 2-1 come-from-behind victory against Nashville SC that keeps them near the top of the Eastern Conference.
9. Colorado Rapids
Previous ranking: 8
The Colorado Rapids could not figure out the Vancouver Whitecaps in a 2-0 defeat at BC Place, finishing the night without so much as a shot on goal. Zack Steffen has been fantastic, but a goalkeeper can only do so much.
10. Austin FC
Previous ranking: 10
Austin FC's 0-0 draw with the Portland Timbers extends the club's unbeaten run to four matches, but fans who saw the team's early-season struggles to create scoring chances will have concerns that the trend is re-emerging.
11. Orlando City
Previous ranking: 11
No team has scored more goals (15) than Orlando City this season, but they couldn't find the back of the net in a scoreless stalemate with the Philadelphia Union. It was their first clean sheet of the year, but now coach Oscar Pareja needs to figure out how to put it all together.
12. New York Red Bulls
Previous ranking: 13
It was from the penalty spot, granted, but Eric Choupo-Moting scored for the second match in a row in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire. Getting their biggest offseason addition in an attacking rhythm would be great news for the Red Bulls.
13. LAFC
Previous ranking: 12
LAFC is another team looking toward the Concacaf Champions Cup, and it showed as they fell flat in a 1-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo. Next up: Another CCC duel with Inter Miami.
14. Atlanta United
Previous ranking: 14
While a 1-1 home draw with FC Dallas may not get the alarm bells ringing in Georgia's capital, a deeper look might. The team struggled for creativity and needs one of its big-money players (Miguel Almirón, Emmanuel Latte Lath, Mateusz Klich, Alexey Miranchuk) to start proving they're a genuine difference-maker.
15. Nashville SC
Previous ranking: 15
Nashville captain Walker Zimmerman is out of the hospital after a concerning kick to the head. Before his departure, things were looking good for Nashville, but two late goals meant a 2-1 loss to Charlotte FC.
Who's climbing the table? Who's in free fall? Our writers studied the action from across Matchday 7 to come up with this week's order of all 30 teams in the league. Let's dive in.
1. Inter Miami CF
Previous ranking: 1
Inter Miami got its customary goal from Lionel Messi, but only after conceding to Federico Bernardeschi. In spite of the 1-1 draw with Toronto FC, Miami keeps the top spot having remained undefeated and with their focus on this week's Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal, second leg, with LAFC.
2. Columbus Crew
Previous ranking: 2
The Crew took care of business early, with goals in the 11th and 26th minutes to push head coach Wilfried Nancy past former team CF Montreal 2-1. They remain the league's only undefeated team aside from Miami.
3. Vancouver Whitecaps
Previous ranking: 3
There were no Concacaf Champions Cup distractions here. Despite a trip to Mexico City to face Pumas in the CCC quarterfinals approaching, Jesper Sørensen's bunch convincingly dispatched the Colorado Rapids, 2-0, and remain atop the Western Conference.
4. San Diego FC
Previous ranking: 5
For weeks we've been wondering what this team would look like with star winger Hirving Lozano at his best. We got a glimpse of it as "Chucky" registered an assist and a goal in a 3-0 win over the Seattle Sounders. Scary.
5. Philadelphia Union
Previous ranking: 4
The Union keep their place in the top five despite a scoreless draw with Orlando City at Subaru Park. Bottling up an Orlando attack that had 15 goals in six matches coming into the contest is a huge plus, even if the Union couldn't break through with a goal of their own.
6. Minnesota United
Previous ranking: 7
Direct and dominant in a 2-1 win over New York City FC at Yankee Stadium, the Loons' season-opening loss is a distant memory with six straight weeks undefeated.
7. FC Cincinnati
Previous ranking: 6
Despite star attacker Evander missing out because of a knee injury and having other key players out as well, FC Cincinnati still found a way to top the New England Revolution, 1-0.
9. Charlotte FC
Previous ranking: 8
It took a late flurry of offense, but midfielder Pep Biel helped jolt Charlotte FC into a 2-1 come-from-behind victory against Nashville SC that keeps them near the top of the Eastern Conference.
9. Colorado Rapids
Previous ranking: 8
The Colorado Rapids could not figure out the Vancouver Whitecaps in a 2-0 defeat at BC Place, finishing the night without so much as a shot on goal. Zack Steffen has been fantastic, but a goalkeeper can only do so much.
10. Austin FC
Previous ranking: 10
Austin FC's 0-0 draw with the Portland Timbers extends the club's unbeaten run to four matches, but fans who saw the team's early-season struggles to create scoring chances will have concerns that the trend is re-emerging.
11. Orlando City
Previous ranking: 11
No team has scored more goals (15) than Orlando City this season, but they couldn't find the back of the net in a scoreless stalemate with the Philadelphia Union. It was their first clean sheet of the year, but now coach Oscar Pareja needs to figure out how to put it all together.
12. New York Red Bulls
Previous ranking: 13
It was from the penalty spot, granted, but Eric Choupo-Moting scored for the second match in a row in a 2-1 win over the Chicago Fire. Getting their biggest offseason addition in an attacking rhythm would be great news for the Red Bulls.
13. LAFC
Previous ranking: 12
LAFC is another team looking toward the Concacaf Champions Cup, and it showed as they fell flat in a 1-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo. Next up: Another CCC duel with Inter Miami.
14. Atlanta United
Previous ranking: 14
While a 1-1 home draw with FC Dallas may not get the alarm bells ringing in Georgia's capital, a deeper look might. The team struggled for creativity and needs one of its big-money players (Miguel Almirón, Emmanuel Latte Lath, Mateusz Klich, Alexey Miranchuk) to start proving they're a genuine difference-maker.
15. Nashville SC
Previous ranking: 15
Nashville captain Walker Zimmerman is out of the hospital after a concerning kick to the head. Before his departure, things were looking good for Nashville, but two late goals meant a 2-1 loss to Charlotte FC.