As 2025 comes to a close and the 2026 MLS season approaches, over 500 players from across the league voiced their opinions on a variety of questions as part of the MLS Players’ Association’s annual player poll.
This year’s survey gave players a shot at picking some of the best and worst experiences across the league, as well as the league’s best trash talkers, most challenging goalkeepers and other lighthearted questions.
The MLSPA shared the full results, as well as several second and third-place finishers where available.
Best Trash Talker—Richie Laryea
With an array of languages spoken across the league, the best trash talker in MLS comes with plenty of intricacies. However, the winner emerged as Toronto FC and Canadian national team defender Richie Laryea, who speaks primarily in English. Despite having 35 yellow cards in his MLS career, he has yet to pick up a red card.
FC Cincinnati defender Matt Miazga finished second in the voting, while Inter Miami striker, Luis Suárez, finished third, the highest among those with English not as a first language.
Funniest Player—Raheem Edwards
Raheem Edwards has bounced around MLS over his career, spending time with Toronto FC, CF Montréal, Minnesota United, LAFC, LA Galaxy and now Red Bull New York. In 2025, his peers selected him as the league’s funniest player in a year where he surpassed 200 regular-season appearances.
MLSPA did not name a second or third-place finisher in this category.
Most Fashionable—DeAndre Yedlin
Real Salt Lake
The other top finishers in the category were FC Dallas’s Sebastian Ibeagha and Chicago Fire’s Kellyn Acosta.
Fittest Player—Brandt Bronico
Every MLS club conducts intensive fitness testing throughout the season, but what better way to determine which players are fittest than to ask those who have to run next to them? The players selected Charlotte FC midfielder Brandt Bronico as the fittest player in 2025, with Seattle Sounders and USMNT midfielder Cristian Roldan finishing second and LAFC attacker Denis Bouanga in third.
Toughest Goalie to Beat—Roman Burki
Two of the best goalkeepers from the last generation headlined the top two backstops in the MLSPA Player Poll. St. Louis CITY SC’s Roman Bürki took the honor, having been the lone Designated Player goalkeeper after a standout spell with Borussia Dortmund.
LAFC’s Hugo Lloris, a 2018 World Cup winner with France and a longtime Premier League star, finished second, while Charlotte FC’s Kristjan Kahlina finished third.
Most Underrated Player—Darlington Nagbe
How many times can a player be named underrated and still qualify for the category? Even as MLS has grown to include superstars like Lionel Messi and Thomas Müller, veteran midfielder Darlington Nagbe has always stood out.
The MLSPA selected him as the most underrated player in 2025, as he won the award in his final season. He is now retired after playing 445 regular-season games.
Best Pitch—Tie Between Austin FC and FC Cincinnati
Most MLS pitches are natural grass as the league hits its 30th season, but two stood out among the rest, with Austin FC’s Q2 Stadium and FC Cincinnati’s TQL Stadium earning honors for the best pitch in MLS.
Austin’s pitch features Platinum TE Seashore Paspalm grass, known for its durability in the Texas heat, while Cincinnati uses Tahoma 31 Bermudagrass natural grass, which replaced a previous hybrid turf system.
Worst Away Locker Room—New York City FC
Few places offer a more unique away experience than New York City FC games at Yankee Stadium. Primarily a baseball stadium, the stadium features the smallest pitch in MLS, and the away locker room is an extra auxiliary locker room and is known to be relatively tight.
Some players, however, also shouted out the Colorado Rapids’ away rooms at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park and CF Montréal’s visitors' room at Stade Saputo as among the worst.
Club You'd Want to Play for—LAFC
Inter Miami has proven to be an attractive option for some MLS free agents and other talents coming to the league, but it did not land among the most enticing clubs in the MLSPA poll.
Instead, LAFC topped the list after luring Son Heung-min, Lloris and others, while the 2025 expansion, San Diego FC, finished second. Nashville SC, situated in a city with music at the core of its identity, finished third.
Best Home Field Advantage—LAFC
LAFC’s 3252 supporters’ group has established itself as one of the premier groups in the world, not only in MLS. While BMO Stadium only holds 22,000, the wall of the 3252 stand is always rocking and topped the list for the best home field advantage in the MLSPA poll.
Other top finishers included the Seattle Sounders and Charlotte FC, who play at their city’s NFL stadiums, featuring some of the rowdiest crowds in the league—and both play on unique artificial surfaces as well, further favoring the home team.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as MLS Player Poll Reveals Top Trash Talker, Worst Locker Room, Most Desired Club.
