MLS NEXT Recap: Who stood out in March 2025? | OneFootball

By MLSsoccer staff

Below are the top performers from MLS NEXT in March 2025 that you should know, including the Player and Teams of the Month.

MLS NEXT Teams of the Month

U15 · St. Louis CITY SC

Arguably the most dominant club in March was St. Louis CITY SC’s U15 side, which finished the month with a perfect 5-0-0 record. The U15s did so by finding the back of the net consistently as they scored at least four goals in all five of their matches.

The catalyst in attack for the club was Edison Niles, who scored nine times in March, including a four-goal performance against Bavarian United SC on March 9. St. Louis’ marquee win came on March 22 when they went on the road and defeated Chicago Fire FC, 5-1.

U16 · FC Dallas

FC Dallas’ U16 side faced a gauntlet during the month with four matches against MLS academies. The young Texans did not waver though, as they went 5-0-0 in March and produced convincing wins against Minnesota United FC (4-1 on March 2), St. Louis CITY SC (8-0 on March 15), FC Cincinnati (3-1 on March 22), and Chicago Fire FC (3-1 on March 29).

The top scorer for Dallas’ U16 was Albin-Angelo Williams, who led the side with eight goals and notched a brace in all four of the wins against MLS academies. Williams’s performance in March also helped him earn Player of the Month honors across MLS NEXT.

U17 · Baltimore Armour

With MLS NEXT Flex fast approaching, the race in the standings for that competition is heating up. Baltimore Armour seized that opportunity and turned in a terrific month to leap up the standings and earn Team of the Month honors in the U17 age group.

Baltimore went 8-1-0, which featured key wins against FC DELCO, Players Development Academy, and Cedar Stars Academy Monmouth. The team’s balanced attack played a big role in the successful month as their 20 goals scored came from 11 different players.

U19 · Cedar Stars Academy Bergen

Cedar Stars Academy Bergen put together one of the most complete months by an MLS NEXT Elite Academy in the 2024-25 season. Cedar Stars Bergen went 7-0-0 and outscored opponents by a whopping 22-1 margin as they established themselves as one of the best U19 teams in MLS NEXT.

Their signature win of the month came on March 2 when they defeated Toronto FC by a score of 5-0. Cedar Stars Bergen now enter a crucial month as they currently sit in the qualification range for MLS NEXT Flex and look to punch their ticket.

Player of the Month - Albin-Angelo Williams

FC Dallas - U16

After FC Dallas’ remarkable performance at the U16 age group in March, their leading scorer, Albin-Angelo Williams, has earned Player of the Month recognition. Williams scored eight times in March and had a brace in four of those games, which included the game-winning goal against FC Cincinnati on March 22.

For Williams, next up appears to be the 2025 Generation adidas Cup, where he will face off against some of the top talents in global soccer.

MLS NEXT Announces Groundbreaking Quality of Play Rankings

MLS NEXT unveiled earlier this week its groundbreaking Quality of Play rankings for the U13 and U14 age group. The rankings will go beyond the traditional results of the game to focus on the complete performance of individuals and teams. This pilot program will mark the first time that these age groups are ranked on this metric rather than the traditional win-draw-loss standings. The Quality of Play rankings are calculated via Taka’s analytical formula that evaluates gameplay and focuses on the caliber of a team’s offensive and defensive actions in a match.

MLS NEXT aims to shift the paradigm in player development to focus predominantly on the process and progress in conjunction with individual match results. These rankings are designed to promote positive in-game moments and strategic development among younger age groups rather than placing sole emphasis on athletic traits, which can disproportionately impact games at the youngest ages. Each club or team will be encouraged to have its own identity (possession, transition-oriented, etc.) and coaches will now have further opportunities to highlight team strengths and areas of improvement. This pilot program also emphasizes nurturing young players’ passion for soccer irrespective of wins and losses.

For more information on the Quality of Play Rankings and the rankings themselves, click HERE.