The 2024 Major League Soccer season concluded last weekend.
Record MLS Cup champions Los Angeles Galaxy ended their longest title drought since the league began in 1996 by winning their sixth crown in a 2-1 win over New York Red Bulls on home soil.
Now that another season is over and the league has announced its annual award winners, we thought we’d take our own crack at selecting the 2024 MLS Team of the Season.
While Major League Soccer themselves opted to cram as many high-profile attacking names as they could in their own version of a Best XI, we will take a slightly different approach by aiming to opt for a somewhat more realistic side with a certain level of defensive balance in mind.
Therefore, this piece will not just aim to assemble the best eleven players in the league, but rather create a functional side that can potentially coexist within a collective framework on the pitch.
With that being said, given the vast array of outstanding offensive performers in comparison to defensemen, there is little choice but to play a very attack-minded side, especially with the league averaging 3.15 goals per game this year, the highest since the 2018 season.
Thus, we will line up the selected eleven players in an asymmetrical 4-2-3-1 formation, with one pure defensive midfielder and one attack-minded central midfielder in the middle behind a front four guaranteed to score, create goals, and wreak havoc for any opposition they may encounter.
This setup will enable us to include the very best and most deserving attacking talents in the league this year, while still providing sufficient defensive coverage behind them with the season’s standout defensive contributors.
Let’s begin.
Goalkeeper: Kristijan Kahlina, 32 Years Old, Charlotte FC
Starting in goal, we’ve gone with the Croatian-born Kristijan Kahlina of Charlotte FC, the same choice that MLS made.
Few would disagree with that, especially given his data profile.
Kristijan Kahlina 2024 MLS Data Profile
Although there were other solid options, such as Stefan Frei, Matt Freese, and Hugo Lloris, to name a few, what separated Kahlina from the rest was his monstrous save rate of 82.8%, which no one came even close to matching this year in the league.
Kahlina was in a league of his own when it came to his shot-stopping abilities.
Although Frei and Seattle had a slightly better defensive and clean sheet record overall, it was Kahlina who made the more outstanding contribution to his team of the two.
Kristijan Kahlina 2024 MLS Shots Faced Map
Another piece of data that highlights this is the map above, which shows the shots Kahlina faced in 2024, with nearly 12 goals prevented from an xG of about 51 for the season.
Frei faced a much lower xG of 36 while preventing fewer goals at 10, meaning Kahlina was the busier of the two on average, but stepped up to the task impeccably when called upon.
He won the honour of Goalkeeper of the Year from the league (something Frei surprisingly has yet to do), and rightfully so.
Right-Back: Aaron Herrera, 27 Years Old, D.C. United
At right-back, there was a much tougher decision to make with no real standout option compared to the player on the left.
Given the player’s offensive tendencies, which we’ll learn more about later, we wanted to pick someone with better defensive qualities to balance things out on the flank.
Aaron Herrera 2024 MLS Data Profile
In the end, we’ve chosen D.C. United‘s Aaron Herrera, who had an impressive season despite his side failing to reach the playoffs for the fifth year running.
What ultimately separated Herrera from other candidates was his more well-rounded data profile, as shown above, where he ranks in the 48th percentile or higher in every single area, indicating that there were no significantly weak areas in his game.
Most importantly, his standout defensive metric was his positioning, which ranked in the 80th percentile.
This is highly valuable to have on a team like this, where the full-back on the opposite end loves to maraud forward on the overlap.
Aaron Herrera 2024 MLS Defensive Territory Map
His defensive territory map, shown above, is also impressive.
Defensive actions and interceptions are quite heavy in volume on the right flank, particularly, making him an active defender in terms of how he approaches his responsibilities.
Others were considered, such as Dylan Nealis (New York RB), Nathan Harriel (Philadelphia Union), and Tayvon Gray (NYCFC).
Still, none of them had the sort of balance in their data profiles that Herrera had across his game, which is ultimately why he takes the right-back slot on our team.
Herrera also made the cut for the All-Star team in the summer, so while he didn’t get into the actual Best XI or the post-season with his club, he was rewarded for his solid performances in some way this year.
Right Centre-Back: Steven Moreira, 30 Years Old, Columbus Crew
While the right-back choice did require some careful consideration, that was not so necessary for his closest defensive partner at right centre-back, who went to MLS Defender of the Year, Columbus Crew‘s Steven Moreira.
Steven Moreira 2024 MLS Data Profile
Although Moreira’s percentile ranks in the defensive categories are low for a centre-back, what he brings to his team on the ball makes him one of the best in the league and has done for a while now.
He ranks in the 84th percentile or higher in four of the five possession metrics displayed above, which shows he is quite strong when he has the ball at his feet and is one of Columbus’s leading protagonists when playing from out of the back in Wilfried Nancy‘s system.
But while his ball-playing abilities most catch the eye, he is no slouch defensively either and can put a shift in on even the league’s best attackers when called upon.
Steven Moreira 2024 MLS Progressive Passes Map
His progressive pass map does a good job of displaying the volume of his plays from the back, as well as the direction and distance of those passes, with several even getting into the penalty area on occasion.
He’s the best centre-back in MLS when it comes to doing what he does, and at 30 years old, there should be more to come from the Cape Verde international in the coming seasons.
Left Centre-Back: Yeimar Gómez Andrade, 32 Years Old, Seattle Sounders
When choosing Moreira’s central defensive partner, it was crucial to select someone who excelled at the ‘dirty work’ of defending, so to speak.
And no one did that better in 2024 than Seattle Sounders’ Yeimar Gómez Andrade.
Yeimar Gómez Andrade 2024 MLS Data Profile
Yeimar’s dominance in aerial and overall defensive duels won is plain to see.
He was the rock and foundation on which Seattle built its defensive success as the best in the league throughout the season.
The Colombian is the leader of their defence and is de facto the leader of ours, in a way that few like him exist in MLS nowadays.
Yeimar Gómez Andrade 2024 MLS Shots Blocked Map
His average of 1.15 blocked shots xG, almost all of them coming from inside his penalty area, is another testament to how well the 32-year-old commands his area.
His centre-back partner, Jackson Ragen, was a critical piece of the Seattle defence’s success this year, but he wasn’t selected for this team as Moreira was superior on the ball, and Gómez was exceptional on the defensive side of things.
With Moreira and Gómez, we believe that we have the best central defensive duo and partnership you could put together in this league, and few would argue that, as both players were recently included in the Best XI decided by the authorities.
Left-back: Jordi Alba, 35 Years Old, Inter Miami
As mentioned earlier, the left-back was going to be someone who likes to maraud forward on the overlap.
If you didn’t guess Jordi Alba after reading that, then your guess was wrong.
Jordi Alba 2024 MLS Data Profile
Alba managed to rack up 14 goals and assists in this league campaign, quite a high figure for someone playing at full-back.
So, despite his defensive frailties and advanced age, there was little choice but to put him in this team.
His percentile ranks in possession and attacking metrics are off the charts, with 98% dangerous passes per 90 minutes, 93% goal contributions per 90, and 99% touches in the opposition penalty area per 90 minutes, all standing out like sore thumbs in his data profile.
Jordi Alba 2024 MLS Winger Actions Map
His winger actions map also clearly indicates his high level of involvement in Inter Miami‘s attack, with numerous attempts to put the ball into the box from the left flank. His partnership with Luis Suárez and Lionel Messi, dating back to their Barcelona days, is well-documented.
While some more balanced left-back options still brought a good amount moving forward, like Minnesota United‘s Joseph Rosales, no one was in Alba’s league in terms of offensive production, and that’s why he has to be on this team as the league’s most influential full-back this year.
Defensive Midfielder: Obinna Nwobodo, 28 Years Old, FC Cincinnati
Moving into the midfield, as mentioned earlier, there would be one pure defensive midfielder in our chosen system, whose job would be to break up plays and keep the ball rolling so that the players ahead of him could shine offensively.
The player we have chosen for this role is Cincinnati’s Obinna Nwobodo.
Obinna Nwobodo 2024 MLS Data Profile
The reason Nwobodo was selected is similar to Herrera’s choice at right-back.
His defensive positioning was the strongest of all the options, ranking in the 80th percentile among Nigerians.
He also ranks in the 77th percentile for his defensive duels per game, with a respectable 47th percentile ranking in duels won from those figures.
At the same time, he is no stranger to the ball and is technically proficient enough to play on this attack-minded side, with an 82% pass accuracy rate of 80 passes per 90 minutes.
Obinna Nwobodo 2024 MLS Defensive Territory Map
At 28 years old, he is in the prime of his career (as opposed to 34-year-old Darlington Nagbe or 36-year-old Sergio Busquets), and it shows in his defensive territory map above, which highlights the significant ground he covered this year and his direct contributions on the defensive side of things.
This team needs a profile like his to provide the anchor between defence and attack in the middle of the park, and Nwobodo fits the bill perfectly.
Central Midfielder: Riqui Puig, 25 Years Old, Los Angeles Galaxy
Looking ahead to his midfield partner, there’s another obvious choice: LA Galaxy’s star man in a title-winning campaign, none other than Riqui Puig.
Riqui Puig 2024 MLS Data Profile
Puig had an exceptional season, thriving as the most attacking central midfielder in Greg Vanney’s team.
The numbers don’t lie when we break them down from above.
His passing was nearly flawless, which you’d expect from someone coming from La Masia, and his attacking contributions were plentiful throughout the year as he recorded 17 goals and 13 assists in the league alone.
Riqui Puig 2024 MLS Penetrating Carries Map
He was the Galaxy’s not-so-secret weapon in moving the ball from back to front as quickly as possible, both in possession and transitional sequences, as evidenced by his 189 penetrating carries, many of which came into the opposition’s penalty area.
Although his season ended bittersweetly with an ACL injury in the Western Conference Final, there’s no doubt that Puig was the best player in the best team this year and deservedly took his place in this eleven.
Attacking Midfielder: Lionel Messi, 37 Years Old, Inter Miami
Was it ever really going to be anyone else?
Although Luciano Acosta and Evander had fantastic years for Cincinnati and Portland Timbers, respectively, Messi more than matched what they did in about half as many games and minutes en route to helping Inter Miami claim their first-ever Supporters’ Shield, amassing a record-breaking 74 points in the process.
Lionel Messi 2024 MLS Data Profile
Very few words need to be spent on one of the greatest players to ever grace the game, as the numbers speak for themselves.
Messi ranks in the 90th percentile or higher in almost every single possession and attacking metric.
Acosta and Evander, among others, were brilliant this year and received their honour by being picked in MLS’s Best XI, but unfortunately for them, they are in the league at the same time as Messi, who is the greatest that MLS has ever had or seen.
With only one attacking midfielder in our system, the award just has to go to the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Lionel Messi 2024 MLS Ball Progression Map
Even at his advanced age of 37, Messi still has a great passion and desire to play the game.
He is the player Inter Miami’s offence runs through, with his activity in the attacking half displayed above through his ball progression map.
Messi is the leader of this team, as expected, as the sole World Cup and Ballon d’Or winner in this lineup.
He is the league MVP for a reason, and there’s just no way around that.
He continues to produce numbers that defy his age, even at this stage of his career.
Right-Winger: Gabriel Pec, 23 Years Old, Los Angeles Galaxy
We’re moving towards the front three now, starting at the right wing, and it’s another player from the MLS Cup-winning side, the league’s Brazilian sensation, Gabriel Pec.
Pec arrived at LA Galaxy from his boyhood club, Vasco da Gama, as a Young DP in January of this year, and he has defied all expectations in his first year in the league.
With 19 goals and 17 assists, he helped the team end a ten-year title drought; he was a shoo-in for this team in his position, despite the efforts of Orlando City‘s Facundo Torres, who also had an impressive season.
Gabriel Pec 2024 MLS Data Profile
Pec’s attacking contributions were phenomenal, even if his direct goal-assist contribution didn’t tell the whole story, ranking in the 90th percentile by every single metric in that category.
He also has impressive possession statistics for someone playing out wide and taking the sort of risks he does with trying to probe the opposition, with a 95% pass accuracy rate.
Gabriel Pec 2024 MLS Shot Assists Map
His shot assists map highlights just how much of a threat he brought to the Galaxy offense in and around the penalty area, with a staggering 10.8 xA throughout the calendar year.
This demonstrates his creativity, in addition to his impressive clinical strike rate.
Undoubtedly the best addition to the league in 2024, there will be very little MLS and Galaxy can do to stop him from moving West to Europe if he continues this vein of form next year for the new champions.
Left-Winger: Denis Bouanga, 30 Years Old, Los Angeles FC
While the right flank is dominated by a stunning newcomer to the league, on the opposite side, the story is similar to last year, with Denis Bouanga being the obvious choice once again.
The Gabonese international scored 27 goals in another scintillating season.
However, despite helping his side finish top of the Western Conference in the regular season, he wasn’t quite able to steer his side to the title.
Still, there’s little competition to beat him out at left wing, given the numbers he’s put up for a second straight year.
Denis Bouanga 2024 MLS Data Profile
Bouanga is a high-action offensive talent.
Whenever the ball arrives at him, he is looking to make something happen and make a difference for his LAFC team.
This is clearly evidenced by his high percentile ranks in the attacking metrics, with shots and dribbling being in the 97th percentile or higher.
Denis Bouanga 2024 MLS Shots Map
Bouanga frequently takes shots, as shown by his shot map above.
He has made 151 total attempts across his 36 league appearances, averaging over 4 shots per game.
His non-penalty goals almost match his overall xG, which highlights his efficiency in front of the goal, a trait we learned to expect from him after last year.
It was a unanimous choice for the left-sided forward in our team.
Center-Forward: Cucho Hernández, 25 Years Old, Columbus Crew
And last but certainly not least, we had the task of choosing who would lead the line in our team as the lone centre-forward as part of an already star-studded attack.
Three main choices stood out for this slot: Christian Benteke, Luis Suárez, and Cucho Hernández.
In the end, we’ve gone with Cucho, and here’s why.
Cucho Hernández 2024 MLS Data Profile
Although Benteke and Suárez scored slightly more than Hernández across the season, they were far less productive off the ball in terms of defensive work and pressing, which is to be expected given their ages.
Cucho, on the other hand, excelled in this area, with a 63rd percentile ranking in defensive duels per 90, half of which were won, and an 82nd percentile rank in aerial duels won.
Hernández also recorded 10 assists, which evened out his direct goal contributions to Benteke and Suárez, which were about the same for the year.
So, with nearly identical offensive production numbers, it comes down to who can bring the most to the team as a whole with their off-the-ball work, and Cucho runs away with that title when looking at their respective data profiles.
Cucho Hernández 2024 MLS Heatmap
His heatmap also supports that, showing how active he is and the level of intensity in his movements across the entire attacking half, compared to Benteke and Suárez, who are much less mobile at this stage of their careers than they once were.
Given that we have Messi in this team, who will pick his moments to produce his magic, it makes more sense to have a striker with a high defensive work rate in front of him, and that is unquestionably Cucho Hernández.
Conclusion
As we wrap up our 2024 MLS Team of the Season, we wish to clarify that these are our subjective choices, and yours may differ.
After all, there was plenty of quality on display in the league this year, and the overall season was an excellent advert for MLS, with Messi’s first full season in America attracting eyes from around the globe out of curiosity.
Those same people will have been exposed to some other exciting players and teams they may have never watched otherwise, which will no doubt boost MLS’s credibility and growth as a brand worldwide.
While some choices may have been obvious, others weren’t, and there were some tough decisions to make; we believe that it’s a fair representation of a realistic starting eleven of the best the league had to offer this term.
Now it’s your turn!
Do you think next year can top this year?
Let us know!
