LAFC forward Denis Bouanga has been selected as a member of the 2025 MLS Best XI, which recognizes the league’s top players at each position as determined by members of the media, MLS players, and MLS club technical staffs.
The most decorated player selected, Bouanga has earned his third consecutive selection as a forward. The last player to make the MLS Best XI as a forward in three-straight seasons was Josef Martínez from 2017-19. The award comes on the heels of a season that saw the Gabon international named an MLS All-Star for the third year in a row as he finished second in the MLS Golden Boot race after previously winning the title in 2023.
Bouanga set numerous club and league records this year, most notably surpassing Carlos Vela to become LAFC’s all-time leading goalscorer. He also became the first player in league history to record three consecutive seasons scoring 20 or more goals and in partnership with Korean superstar, Son Heung-Min, set a new MLS record for most consecutive goals scored by a duo with 18.
Bouanga leads LAFC this season with 32 goals and 13 assists in 45 games across all competitions, including 24 goals and nine assists in MLS regular season play where he ranked first in shots on goal (73), second in total shots (150), and third in xG (21.92). Since his arrival in 2022, Bouanga has scored 101 goals in 150 total games across all competitions for LAFC.
This year, Bouanga was voted MLS Player of the Month for September, earned Matchday Best XI honors four times, while receiving honorable mention a further three times, was selected as a starter for the MLS All-Star game in which he notched the assist on the MLS team’s opening goal in a 3-1 win over their Liga MX rivals, and also saw his strike against St. Louis CITY FC on April 27 nominated for MLS Goal of the Year.
Since the club’s inaugural season in 2018, five different LAFC players have received the MLS Best XI honor, earning a total of nine selections.
- 2025, 2024, 2023 – Forward Denis Bouanga
- 2022, 2019, 2018 – Forward Carlos Vela
- 2020 – Forward Diego Rossi
- 2019 – Midfielder Eduard Atuesta
- 2019 – Defender Walker Zimmerman
The 2025 MLS Best XI features six first-time honorees and includes players from eight different countries and nine different MLS clubs.
2025 MLS Best XI
Goalkeeper: Dayne St. Clair (Minnesota United FC)
Defenders: Tristan Blackmon (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Alex Freeman (Orlando City SC), Jakob Glesnes (Philadelphia Union), Kai Wagner (Philadelphia Union)
Midfielders: Sebastian Berhalter (Vancouver Whitecaps FC), Evander (FC Cincinnati), Cristian Roldan (Seattle Sounders FC)
Forwards: Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)
