Glesnes and Wagner Named to 2025 MLS Best XI After Stellar Seasons for the Union

CHESTER, Pa. — Major League Soccer announced today its annual Best XI for the 2025 season. Among the eleven players honored this year were Union center back Jakob Glesnes and left back Kai Wagner, each recognized by the league as one of the top players at their position as determined by media, MLS players, and MLS club technical staffs.

“It’s a huge honor,” said Glesnes when asked about being named to this year’s squad. “It’s because the team have been doing well over the season, like me and Kai have been the lucky ones to get the awards, but it’s like a lot of guys in this locker room that deserve that as well, and of course, I’m really grateful for that.”

Jakob Glesnes. Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union

This marks the second time in his career that Glesnes has made the yearly Best XI list, as he was named to it back in 2022 alongside fellow Union teammates Andre Blake, Daniel Gazdag, and Kai Wagner. Glesnes would go on to win Defender of the Year honors that year as well.

For Wagner, this marks the second time in his career that he has received the award. Per the club’s press release, it marks just the second time in MLS history that a pair of teammates at the same position have been selected in multiple years together to the Best XI, joining the Chicago Fire’s Chris Armas and Piotr Nowak (midfielders in 1998, 2000, and 2001).

“I think it shows that you do something right in the season,” said Wagner on the recognition. “Think it shows that you’re in a right spot. I mean, this team this year was unbelievable. How much success we had this year even after bad losses, how everybody just stood up, and the mentality all over the team. But I’m like, really, really happy to get the recognition.”

Kai Wagner. Photo courtesy of the Philadelphia Union

The duo contributed greatly to Philadelphia being the league’s best defense, which conceded just 35 goals in 34 regular-season matches along with 14 clean sheets during that span.

The Union’s 35 goals conceded marked the lowest total for a Supporters’ Shield winner during a 34-match schedule since the New York Red Bulls’ Shield-winning team conceded 33 in 2018 — a squad on which Union head coach Bradley Carnell served as an assistant.

Individually, Glesnes ended the MLS regular season with one goal and one assist while playing 2,626 minutes over 31 matches. The center back also finished the season with 30 clearances, second only to teammate Olwethu Makhanya, who led the team with 45. He also won 130 duels and made 55 interceptions on the season.

Meanwhile, Wagner had another year showing why he is consistently regarded as one of the best left backs in Major League Soccer. The German defender led the team with 11 assists — the second-most by a defender in the league this season — bringing his total to 63 in his seven-year MLS career. He also led the team in games played (31) and minutes (2,769) and added two goals. Wagner topped the Union in big chances created (18) and tackles (92), while ranking first in MLS in crosses taken (160) and successful crosses (88), per the club’s statement.

Both players join a list of five from the U.S. and Canada, the most in a single season since 2015, when there were also five. Six individuals are first-time honorees, and nine different MLS clubs are represented, with the Philadelphia Union and Vancouver Whitecaps FC leading the way with two representatives each.

2025 MLS Best XI

Forwards: Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Anders Dreyer (San Diego FC), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami CF)
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)

“We are really happy that we are standing here today and that we can get an award like this,” said Glesnes. “Also that the team is doing so well, that we are doing and have been doing this year, big recognition for the work you do all season long.”

So while the Philadelphia Union players and staff will have to wait until Friday evening for the outcome of the Charlotte versus NYCFC match to know who they will face in the next round of the MLS Cup Playoffs, they can celebrate that two of their own have once again been recognized as among the best in the league.

Main Article Photo Courtesy of the Philadelphia Union