Top 30 players in CONCACAF right now — Where do USMNT stars rank?

NBC Sports

28-03-2025

There's been a lot of talk about expectations for the United States men's national team, and we've happily engaged in those discussions (see above video), but what is reasonable for Mauricio Pochettino's Yanks?
After all, this team's upward trajectory may have stalled when it comes to performances in high-profile tournaments — the 2014 World Cup and 2009 Confederations Cup at times feel like a different century not the previous decades.
MORE — What we learned from USMNT 1-2 Canada | Pulisic reacts to loss
But the collective talent on this team is massive, with both MLS and European academies churning out American talent while some of the biggest clubs in the world count on Americans in big spots: Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, and Timothy Weah are chewing up minutes for two of Italy's biggest clubs, while Tyler Adams, Johnny Cardoso, and Antonee Robinson are mainstays at good-performing clubs in the Premier League and La Liga.
On the latest ProSoccerTalk episode, Joe Prince-Wright, Andy Edwards, and I discussed the expectations for the USMNT and if they are too high. I argued that it depends on your expectations, contending that the USMNT's goals should be to be the dominant program in CONCACAF and to contend in knockout round games at World Cups and Copas America.
But is that fair? Mexico is in a down period but remain just ahead of the USMNT in world renown, while Canada have been punching above their weight and Jamaica is harvesting dual-national talent from England and has some real stars.
So let's attempt an exercise in perspective: Where do the USMNT's best players rank amongst the very best in CONCACAF?
Pretty high.
This is a list that could change within a month's notice — In fact, Alphonso Davies is only here out of honor given his ACL tear suffered against the USMNT. Giovanni Reyna is, at the moment, missing from the list despite a talent level and history that demands top-15 rating, but his past two seasons have been quite poor. Sergino Dest is just coming back from a long injury lay-off and Michail Antonio is in the middle of a long absence. Hirving Lozano has moved to MLS and needs to re-establish his star status in San Diego.
This list tries to strike a balance between production, form, earned reputation, and common sense. Sheraldo Becker makes the list even though he's far down Real Sociedad's depth chart, as his Union Berlin exploits haven't disintegrated in the memory.
Top 30 players in CONCACAF
30. Sheraldo Becker (Suriname, Real Sociedad)
29. Luis Romo (Mexico, Chivas Guadalajara)
28. Alex Zendejas (USMNT, Club America)
27. Tanner Tessmann (USMNT, Lyon)
26. Adalberto Carrasquilla (Panama, UNAM Pumas)
25. Moise Bombito (Canada, Nice)
24. Ethan Pinnock (Jamaica, Brentford)
23. Michael Murillo (Panama, Marseille)
22. Alonso Martinez (Costa Rica, NYCFC)
21. Ricardo Pepi (USMNT, PSV Eindhoven)
A lot of form guys here. Martinez and Zendejas have been red hot. Moise Bombito's advanced stats aren't screaming off the page but his reputation is growing in Ligue 1. Pepi's struggled with injuries and was not a regular starter but his insane super sub numbers — 18 goals and three assists in only 1,132 minutes — cannot be ignored on this list.
Eindhoven, Netherlands - March 4: Martin Odegaard of Arsenal and Ricardo Pepi of PSV Eindhoven battle for the ball during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Round of 16 First Leg match between PSV Eindhoven and Arsenal FC at Philips Stadion on March 4, 2025 in Eindhoven, Netherlands. (Photo by Mario Hommes/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)
DeFodi Images via Getty Images
20. Chris Richards (USMNT, Crystal Palace)
19. Alexis Vega (Mexico, Toluca)
18. Folarin Balogun (USMNT, Monaco)
17. Yunus Musah (USMNT, AC Milan)
16. Stephen Eustaquio (Canada, Porto)
15. Johnny Cardoso (USMNT, Real Betis)
14. Malik Tillman (USMNT, PSV Eindhoven)
13. Edson Alvarez (Mexico, West Ham)
12. Weston McKennie (USMNT, Juventus)
11. Johan Vasquez (Mexico, Genoa)
Vega is another form guy, while Richards continues to improve under Oliver Glasner at Palace even if his USMNT's performances haven't always (often?) hit that level. Balogun badly needs to get healthy. Then comes the glut of USMNT midfielders. Vasquez is in brilliant form for Genoa and at 26 years old is the best center back in the confederation by some distance.
Johan Vasquez of Genoa CFC is in action during the Serie A match between Inter Milan and Genoa CFC at San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy, on February 22, 2025. (Photo by Andrea Diodato/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
NurPhoto via Getty Images
10. Timothy Weah (USMNT, Juventus)
9. Leon Bailey (Jamaica, Aston Villa)
8. Manfred Ugalde (Costa Rica, Spartak Moscow)
7. Raul Jimenez (Mexico, Fulham)
6. Tyler Adams (USMNT, Bournemouth)
5. Santiago Gimenez (Mexico, AC Milan)
4. Antonee Robinson (USMNT, Fulham)
3. Jonathan David (Canada, Lille)
2. Christian Pulisic (USMNT, AC Milan)
1. Alphonso Davies (Canada, Bayern Munich)
Bailey needs to find more production to stay in the top 20, let alone the top 10, but he is behind talented players at Villa. Ugalde is a wild card given the Russian league's invisibility outside of, well, Russia — He does have a goal for Los Ticos against Argentina. Adams has a claim to top-4 status and should have plenty of chances to rise up the list should he stay healthy. Gimenez might be a bit too high on this list but he's off to a solid start in Milan after ridiculous showings in the Eredivisie. CONCACAF has two of the best left backs in the world in Robinson and Davies, the latter of whom barely edges Pulisic on the consistent stardom he's shown for a half-decade in the Bundesliga.
INGLEWOOD, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 20: Raul Jimenez #9 of Mexico is marked by Alphonso Davies #19 of Canada during the Concacaf Nations League Semifinal match between Canada and Mexico at SoFi Stadium on March 20, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Photo by)
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