Concacaf Top 20: Ranking the region’s best men’s players

Concacaf will crown its latest Nations League winner during this international window, with the region’s four highest-positioned teams in FIFA’s most recent world ranking descending on the Los Angeles area. SoFi Stadium will be the site for the USA-Panama and Canada-Mexico semifinals on Thursday night, with a third-place match and championship game to follow on Sunday.

While this is not Concacaf’s regional championship – that remains the Gold Cup, which will be contested this summer – it is a chance to take stock of the hierarchy in this part of the soccer world. Teams have called upon their best (healthy) players, and there’s a trophy waiting at the end of the road for one of the four contenders. As it relates to individual talent, there’s also a competition to be had, especially as the region’s top three teams and 2026 World Cup co-hosts garner more attention around the globe. With that said, we set out to answer one simple question. Who are the best players right now in Concacaf?

The Athletic’s North American soccer panel of Paul Tenorio, Felipe Cardenas, Jeff Rueter, Pablo Maurer and Joshua Kloke cast their votes in an effort to size up the player landscape, using a balance of current form plus overall talent and achievement as their guiding principals to rank the top 20. On the ballots, 20 points were given to first place, 19 to second, 18 to third and on down the line, with the totals tallied up to account for our ranking.

The highly subjective process naturally comes with some caveats. Comparing and contrasting players from different positions is usually an inexact science, while factoring in injuries makes for a tricky thought exercise as well. How, for instance, may Ricardo Pepi’s fortunes on this list have changed considering the scoring form the U.S. and PSV Eindhoven striker had been in before suffering a season-ending injury?

Taking into account all of that, we’ve come up with our list. There was a pretty solid consensus regarding the top 10, while the variance started to creep into the bottom half during the voting process. With all of those disclaimers now out of the way, here’s our Concacaf Top 20:

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The Athletic’s Concacaf Top 20

1. Christian Pulisic, AM (USA, AC Milan)

What gives Pulisic the narrowest of edges over Alphonso Davies? You can cite the nationality of four of our writers as one justification, but Pulisic’s play since joining Milan has built a robust case all its own. Two years ago, it was a shock to see the Hershey, Pa., native on Chelsea’s teamsheet. Now, we’re wringing hands if he goes one calendar month without a goal. We’ve reached Pulisic’s prime, and he’s among the most prolific attacking players in the world over the past 20 months. His 35 goal contributions in league play since the start of 2023-24 outpaces stars like Kai Havertz, Bruno Fernandes and Lamine Yamal. A Champions League winner with Chelsea in 2021, Pulisic just matched his single-season personal best of 15 goals in all competitions – and there’s still more than two months left in Milan’s campaign.

2. Alphonso Davies, LB (Canada, Bayern Munich)

Truly a marvel with few comparable peers in his role. Davies will no doubt be eager to erase memories of his first World Cup, where he was so nomadic and desperate to impact a game that it harmed Canada’s team shape. Jesse Marsch is a clear upgrade in the dugout over John Herdman, and a run to the Copa América semifinal was a statement of intent for the region. While rotation is inevitable given how hard he plays and Bayern’s prodigious depth, Davies was enjoying another largely healthy season before a hamstring strain in late January. He came back just in time to break Celtic hearts in the Champions League knockout playoff round, then bag another goal in the last 16 against Bayer Leverkusen. He’s been a regular with Bayern since 2019, yet he somehow won’t turn 25 until November.

3. Jonathan David, F (Canada, Lille)

For two years running, David has been invaluable on three fronts. He’s the main man for Lille, with 23 goals and 10 assists across 3,192 minutes in all competitions. He’s the co-figurehead of Canada’s resurgence, with five goals and two assists across his last 10 caps since the start of the Copa. He’s also the hardest-working man in transfer rumor columns, a frequently cited target for clubs across Europe’s highest echelon. One would imagine the speculation will finally reach its endgame in the summer. Regardless, the 25-year-old striker has established himself as the best forward in the region.

4. Santiago Giménez, F (Mexico, AC Milan)

“Giménez or Jiménez” is a hot debate around El Tri, but Giménez has made a robust case since his disastrous showing at the Copa América. The 23-year-old started strong with Feyenoord, earning a January move to Milan as the Italian club hoped to salvage his season. The Champions League playoff draw provided painful irony, as Milan fell against the club from which they’d plucked Giménez in a shock upset (he did score in the first leg against his ex-teammates). He’s still finding his fit in Sérgio Conceição’s system, but his standing as Mexico’s top player appears far more settled.

5. Antonee Robinson, LB (USA, Fulham)

The best left back in the Premier League, Robinson is the captain and chief creator for a Fulham side that’s firmly mid-table — a far cry from their painful string of alternating promotions and relegations half a decade ago. He may be the most consistent player in the region, lacking the same breakneck pace that typifies Davies but offering savvy defending and inch-perfect late crosses into the box. His 10 assists are currently tied for second in the Premier League. Time will tell if he will earn a move to a club in European competition this summer, but he gives Mauricio Pochettino another high-level mainstay in his lineup.

6. Weston McKennie, MF (USA, Juventus)

At last, Juventus seems to want McKennie instead of begrudgingly involving him. After a hot start upon arriving from Schalke, McKennie had a few years where he was openly shopped to any and all suitors. The Old Lady must be awfully grateful that he didn’t bolt, as he’s been a vital and versatile presence in Thiago Motta’s team and was among its few bright performers in a tough Champions League series defeat to PSV. He’s having one of his best passing seasons since debuting, no small feat as he’s increasingly utilized as an attacking midfielder instead of a more withdrawn role.

7. Leon Bailey, MF (Jamaica, Aston Villa)

Bailey may have the most acrimonious relationship with his national team of any player on this list, but his quality is clear for all to see. This ranking relies heavily on his form in 2023-24 and not the current year, as his Premier League goal contributions have plummeted from 19 a year ago to just three with only nine games remaining (he has an additional two in Champions League play). He’s become more rotational since Marcus Rashford’s arrival in January, but the Reggae Boyz faithful must hope that’ll light a competitive fire under a player who provides the Caribbean nation with truly game-breaking talent.

8. Tyler Adams, MF (USA, Bournemouth)

A man in an unglamorous role on an until-recently-unglamorous team, Adams is finally fit again after nearly 18 months of constant injury treatment. He rushed back too soon to participate in the Copa América, costing him the first half of the season, but his return helped spark Bournemouth’s best run of their breakout season. While the U.S. has other defensive midfielders in Europe, none comes close to matching Adams’ impact. There’s no discernible path to a successful World Cup without Adams at the heart of the park — the trick, as ever, will be to keep him fit.

9. Raúl Jiménez, F (Mexico, Fulham)

The recently minted top-scoring Mexican in the Premier League, Jiménez hasn’t become quite as ubiquitous as Javier Hernández in his day but has finally bounced back from the life-threatening skull injury that led to years of turmoil. If he’s now the second option for El Tri, they’ll be far better for it, as he has the veteran’s guile in movement that might play even better against tired defenders at his age. Pulisic and Giménez ought to take notes on how to overcome international rivalry for a fruitful club partnership — a Robinson assist helped Jiménez catalyze a February comeback against Newcastle.

10. Edson Álvarez, MF (Mexico, West Ham)

Perhaps initially miscast as a center back, Álvarez has been a dependable midfield anchor since joining West Ham in August 2023. Not much has gone to plan for the London club this season, dropping from ninth last season to a flirtation with relegation until Graham Potter arrived to right the ship. Nevertheless, the 27-year-old has massively improved his aerial duel win-rate — from 45.5% last season to 57.4% — without sacrificing his tenacious tackling acumen. He’s a worthy successor to Andrés Guardado at the heart of the park.

11. Manfred Ugalde, F (Costa Rica, Spartak Moscow)

12. Yunus Musah, MF (USA, AC Milan)

13. Alistair Johnston, RB (Canada, Celtic)

14. Tim Weah, RW (USA, Juventus)

15. Johnny Cardoso, MF (USA, Real Betis)

While the top 10 places came together with strong consensus, the back half of this list features several players who shine brighter with their clubs than their countries. Take Ugalde, for example, a 22-year-old with 16 goals in Russia but just three from 18 Costa Rican caps. … Musah has found more playing time in his second Milan season, but a mind-boggling red card in the league phase finale of the Champions League sunk Milan to the playoff, where it ultimately lost with him suspended for the first leg. Still, he’s among the U.S. pool’s best technicians. … It’s tough to size up Celtic’s players given their domestic dominance, but Johnston was a standout across two legs against Bayern Munich and is a consistent performer for Canada who is being linked to bigger clubs. … Weah has bounced back from his moment of madness last summer vs. Panama to put in a very steady season for Juventus. Most often a wingback for his club, he’s likely to remain on the wing for Pochettino. … Cardoso still hasn’t fully actualized his tremendous potential, but he’s been a defensive bulldog for Real Betis and a metronome in its possession sequences.

16. Malik Tillman, MF (USA, PSV)

17. Josh Sargent, F (USA, Norwich City)

18. Folarin Balogun, F (USA, Monaco)

19. Moïse Bombito, CB (Canada, Nice)

20. Ricardo Pepi, F (USA, PSV)

It’s a star-spangled end to this list, including some who have yet to make much of an impact for the USMNT. Tillman is a clear example, shining for PSV before his January leg injury but having been totally ineffective to date under Pochettino and Gregg Berhalter. … Sargent hasn’t scored for the U.S. since 2019, but he’s the man in form with Norwich and fits the national team’s previous hard-working archetype. … Balogun has missed much of 2024-25 with injury, while his strike against Panama last summer is among the great forgotten goals in recent program history. His erratic form with the U.S. and health have reopened the starting striker competition. … Bombito is among the Colorado Rapids’ best development stories in recent years, as they helped the SuperDraft pick swiftly rise to starting status with Canada and move to OGC Nice, where he’s a regular. … Pepi is the quintessential Plan B striker with PSV, but the Dutch club is onto Plan C since the striker’s knee injury in February. Still just 22, Pepi had 17 goals in all competitions – the last a match-winner against a heavily rotated Liverpool side in the Champions League – when his season was cut short.

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The toughest call

Pulisic or Davies at No. 1?

I had Davies at No. 1, and there’s no pro-Canadian bias involved. Davies is constantly in the “Who is the best left back on the planet?” discussion. He’s the only player in the region that finds himself in the conversation for being the best player in his position worldwide. No player on this list requires more game-planning from opposition coaches. Davies might not even be at the height of his powers yet, and he’s dynamic in a way that makes the entire region jealous. – Kloke

Davies is a phenomenal player and a legitimate pick to be No. 1, but Pulisic is the best player on the best team in the region. The American star scores goals, and many of them have been very important for his club and national team. Left fullbacks with Davies’ profile are coveted. He has been the best in his position for long stretches. But ultimately, I’ve chosen Pulisic, a player who can win a game for you and who has consistently delivered in big moments.  – Cardenas

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Also receiving votes

The following players appeared on at least one ballot but didn’t crack the top 20:

Tajon Buchanan (Canada/Villarreal), Sergiño Dest (USA/PSV), Stephen Eustáquio (Canada/Porto), Junior Firpo (Dominican Republic/Leeds United), Ethan Pinnock (Jamaica/Brentford), Hirving Lozano (Mexico/San Diego FC), José Córdoba (Panama/Norwich City), Alejandro Zendejas (USA/America), Johan Vásquez (Mexico/Genoa) Chris Richards (USA/Crystal Palace), Julián Araujo (Mexico/Bournemouth), Adalberto Carrasquilla (Panama/Pumas UNAM), Gio Reyna (USA/Dortmund), Levi García (Trinidad & Tobago/Spartak Moscow), Ismaël Koné (Canada/Rennes)

This is a good list in its own right. It’s proof that there is depth in Concacaf – although not at goalkeeper anymore. There are players here like Zendejas, Richards and Dest, to name a few, whose form or overall talent level and skillset give them valid arguments to have cracked the top 20. Zendejas, especially, is flying right now at Club América, but not even being in the best form of his life was enough for Pochettino to include him in the U.S. Nations League roster. Richards is playing like he belongs in the Premier League, and Dest is among the most skillful players in the region. A player like Eustáquio remains a solid central midfielder in Europe and a very important player for Canada. – Cardenas

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The notable omissions

It was perhaps a bit surprising that the following players, whose clubs are in Europe’s “Big Five” leagues, were not represented in the balloting process:

Michail Antonio (Jamaica/West Ham), Cyle Larin (Canada/Mallorca), Michael Murillo (Panama/Marseille), Sheraldo Becker (Suriname/Real Sociedad)

Where somebody plays does not guarantee that they’ll be on the top 20 list. A lack of form and injuries kept some players on the sideline, as well. For example, an unfortunate injury absence was a factor in the omission of Antonio – a player who only had one goal this season before the car accident that left him “grateful for being alive.” As center forwards, Larin and Becker faced strong competition from more in-form strikers. Marseille right fullback Murillo, despite earning his place in Roberto De Zerbi’s starting XI (but recently injured), was left out as well. One could argue that the Panamanian would be a candidate for one of the last four spots in the top 20, but then who are you dropping? – Cardenas

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The final breakdown

By nation

USA – 11

Canada – 4

Mexico – 3

Jamaica – 1

Costa Rica – 1

By position

Forward – 7

Attacking midfield/wing – 6

Defensive midfield – 3

Left back – 2

Right back – 1

Center back – 1

Goalkeeper – 0

By league

Serie A – 5

Premier League – 5

Ligue 1 – 3

Eredivisie – 2

La Liga – 1

Bundesliga – 1

Russian Premier League – 1

Scottish Premiership – 1

English Championship – 1

MLS – 0

Liga MX – 0

(Top image: Illustration: Demetrius Robinson/The Athletic; Photos: Robin Alam/ISI Photos; Sean M. Haffey, Ethan Miller/Getty Images)