Power Rankings: Inter Miami gain steam before FIFA Club World Cup | OneFootball

By J. Sam Jones

What a week in MLS.

Lionel Messi had five goal contributions in one game, several good teams struggled during a multi-game week, and Atlanta failed to win on the road against the Red Bulls. It was truly a week unlike any other.

As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by, give or take, 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com and are not the rankings of a lone wolf blogger. The author does get a little rush when the voting moves your team down a few spots, though.

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1. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Welp.

Look, they didn’t get the storybook ending (unless you’re reading some truly bleak bedtime stories), but that shouldn’t take away from one of the most impressive ConcaChampions runs we’ve seen from an MLS side. Taking down Saprissa, Monterrey, Pumas and Inter Miami is incredible.

There’s still plenty to play for now. They're second in the Supporters’ Shield standings with two games in hand, and there's no time to mope. The ‘Caps have a huge stretch coming with matchups against Seattle, Columbus, San Diego and LAFC due up over the rest of June.

Previous: 0-0 draw vs. MIN | Next: 6/8 vs. SEA

2. Philadelphia Union

A four-point week and a four-point lead at the top of the Eastern Conference as we reach the midpoint of the season isn’t bad at all. They would have preferred to put more than one of their 23 shots against 10-man Dallas on target in Saturday’s 0-0 draw, but they’re unbeaten in their last nine MLS matches and atop the Supporters' Shield standings.

Previous: 0-0 draw at DAL | Next: 6/14 vs. CLT

3. San Diego FC · +2▲

They followed up a 1-0 loss at Seattle with a 2-0 win over Austin on Saturday. That win has them tied for second on points in the Western Conference after their first half-season of existence. None of their success in their first semester has felt like a fluke, and their underlying numbers back that up. Don’t take for granted how impressive this is.

Previous: 2-0 win vs. ATX | Next: 6/14 at MIN

4. Minnesota United FC · +6▲

The Loons took on two of the West’s best and came out with four points. They played Vancouver to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday before putting three past the Sounders in a 3-2 win at Lumen Field, their first-ever victory in Seattle. At the midway mark in the season, they’re tied on points for second place in the conference and third in the Supporters’ Shield standings.

There’s reason to believe they’ll be in the hunt for the Shield the rest of the way.

Minnesota United make history at Seattle Sounders

Previous: 3-2 win at SEA | Next: 6/14 vs. SD

5. Nashville SC · +4▲

Back-to-back 2-2 draws against Columbus and NYCFC didn’t make for the most impressive week of the season, but it did run their unbeaten run in all comps to 10 games. They aren’t far off the pace from the top of the East and Walker Zimmerman is back. The underlying numbers love them. It’s pretty much never been better in Nashville.

Previous: 2-2 draw vs. NYC | Next: 6/14 at CHI

6. Los Angeles Football Club

$9.55 million.

Igor Jesus scored a late equalizer and Denis Bouanga scored an extra-time winner to give LAFC a 2-1 win over Club América and send them hauling a wheelbarrow full of cash to the Club World Cup. The win helped them vanquish some big-game demons and gave them a little bit of petty cash to build out their roster the rest of the way.

They’ll face Chelsea, ES Tunis and Flamengo in the group stage of the Club World Cup. They open against Chelsea on June 16 in Atlanta.

LAFC answer critics in FIFA Club World Cup playoff

Previous: Bye | Next: 6/8 vs. SKC

7. Inter Miami CF · +4▲

Well, Orlando City might have gone and woken Inter Miami up. Since their 3-0 loss to the Lions, the Herons have earned a 3-3 draw with Philly, a 4-2 win over CF Montréal and a 5-1 beatdown against the Crew. Lionel Messi racked up two goals and three assists in the win against Columbus. He’s added five goal contributions in a single game twice since arriving in MLS.

Now, Inter Miami get a week off to get ready for Al Ahly, Porto and Palmeiras in the Club World Cup.

Previous: 5-1 win vs. CLB | Next: 6/28 vs. ATL

8. Orlando City · -5▼

Well, that could have gone a lot better.

The Lions’ three-game winning streak (that included that impressive win over Inter Miami) came to a halt in Atlanta after César Araújo’s second-half red card helped hand the Five Stripes a 3-2 comeback win. Orlando followed that up with an even more concerning 3-1 loss at home to Chicago.

They’ll be fine in the end, but their tendency to give up three goals out of nowhere is becoming a notable trend. They’ve allowed three or more goals in four games this season. Three of those have come in their last six MLS games.

Previous: 3-1 loss vs. CHI | Next: 6/14 at COL

9. Columbus Crew · -5▼

The Crew were missing a couple of key players against Miami, but not so many that we can outright ignore a 5-1 thrashing. They were well, well off the pace in this one and were a bit lucky to escape with a point against Nashville earlier in the week.

They’re now winless in their last six. It’s becoming apparent this group isn’t scraping against their ceiling like the other Wilfried Nancy-led Crew sides.

Columbus Crew: Where do they most need help?

Previous: 5-1 loss at MIA | Next: 6/14 vs. VAN

10. Seattle Sounders FC · -2▼

Just when it feels like the Sounders might be figuring everything out, they stumble. Seattle earned a 1-0 win over San Diego midweek before falling, 3-2, at home to Minnesota United. They haven’t been able to get in a groove and stay in a groove.

Now, they’ve got one more match – a trip to post-CCC final Vancouver – before getting ready to face a Club World Cup group of Botafogo, Atlético Madrid and UEFA Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain.

Previous: 3-2 loss vs. MIN | Next: 6/8 at VAN

11. FC Cincinnati · -4▼

The cracks are starting to show. Cincy are winless in four now after blowing multiple leads against FC Dallas in a 3-3 draw and losing outright to D.C. United. They’re still sitting in second place in the East, but that’s in spite of their +1 goal differential and concerning underlying numbers.

Previous: 2-1 loss vs. DC | Next: 6/14 at NE

12. New York Red Bulls · +5▲

The Red Bulls looked a whole lot more like a team coming off an MLS Cup appearance this week. They started with a 4-2 win over Charlotte and then cruised to a win at home against Atlanta. That’s four straight wins in all comps since losing the Hudson River Derby.

WATCH: Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting enters Golden Boot race

Previous: 2-0 win vs. ATL | Next: 6/14 at ATX

13. New England Revolution · +2▲

The Revs still haven’t lost in MLS since switching to a three-center-back setup. That switch came nine games ago. They’ve kept six clean sheets in that span, including their 3-0 win over CF Montréal this weekend.

Previous: 3-0 win at MTL | Next: 6/14 vs. CIN

14. Portland Timbers

They took full advantage of a 67th-minute Colorado red card and took home a 2-1 win at Providence Park on Wednesday. The Timbers are equal on points, goals scored and goals allowed with Seattle despite having played one fewer game. They’ve been far from perfect, but it still feels like there’s room to grow.

Previous: 2-1 win vs. COL | Next: 6/8 vs. STL

15. New York City FC · -3▼

Their two-game winning streak came to an abrupt close midweek in a 3-0 home loss to Houston. They bounced back with a 2-2 draw against Nashville, but this team continues to be as up and down as they come. Ninth place with 20 goals scored and 20 goals allowed seems right, all considered.

Previous: 2-2 draw at NSH | Next: 6/12 vs. ATL

16. Charlotte FC

A mixed bag this week. They gave up four to New York in a 4-2 loss, then followed it up with a 2-0 win at Toronto. So far, Charlotte are what their record and underlying numbers say they are: A fringe playoff team in the East.

Previous: 2-0 win at TOR | Next: 6/14 at PHI

17. San Jose Earthquakes · -4▼

The Quakes were also a mixed bag this week, but they’ve been a mixed bag all season, haven’t they?

They earned a 1-0 win over the Galaxy before sputtering over the weekend against St. Louis in a 2-1 loss. They’re right in the middle of the Western Conference standings with more goals scored than everyone else and more goals allowed than everyone but the Galaxy.

Sidenote: Josef Martínez is putting up his best numbers since Atlanta. He’s up to seven goals and an assist in 10 starts. Per FBref, he’s fifth in MLS in non-penalty xG.

Previous: 2-1 loss at STL | Next: 6/13 at POR

18. Chicago Fire FC · +1▲

If there’s gonna be anything in a Chicago Fire FC match, there’s going to be goals. It seems to depend on whether or not the Fire will be the team scoring them. They put three past Orlando in a 3-1 win on Saturday, making it eight of their last nine games in all competitions with three total goals or more. The aggregate score in that span: Chicago, 21; Chicago opponents, 17.

On a related note, per American Soccer Analysis, Chicago are fifth in xG generated per game and dead last in xG allowed per game.

WATCH: Hugo Cuypers brace helps Chicago stun Orlando

Previous: 3-1 win at ORL | Next: 6/7 at DC

19. Colorado Rapids · -1▼

Any real chance of turning a 1-1 draw into three points against Portland went away with Wayne Frederick’s 67th-minute red card. The Timbers took the lead moments later and ended the Rapids' two-game winning streak. Only seven teams in the West have a positive goal differential. The Rapids, now sitting in eighth place, are not one of them.

Previous: 2-1 loss at POR | Next: 6/7 vs. ATX

20. Houston Dynamo FC

Beating NYCFC 3-0 on the road and following it up with a 3-1 loss to Sporting KC at home is not the sign of a team that’s turned the corner. This is a very mid-table side right now. Any and all results are possible.

Previous: 3-1 loss vs. SKC | Next: 6/14 vs. MTL

21. Sporting Kansas City · +3▲

Their record since parting ways with Peter Vermes: 4W-3L-3D. They aren’t setting the world on fire, and they’re not a playoff side yet, but they’re showing signs of life. They rolled Houston in a 3-1 road win over the weekend to make it four straight unbeaten. They’re four points below the playoff line with a game in hand on a few teams in front of them.

Previous: 3-1 win at HOU | Next: 6/8 at LAFC

22. Atlanta United · +3▲

The schedule makers picked a brutal time to send Atlanta to face the Red Bulls on the road. After a surprising (and pretty well played) 3-2 comeback win over Orlando that gave them a two-game winning streak, the Five Stripes began a six-game road trip in a building they’ve literally never won in. It went about how you’d expect.

Previous: 2-0 loss at RBNY | Next: 6/12 at NYC

23. D.C. United · +4▲

A four-point week against a streaking New England side and a second-place FC Cincinnati side is a very good week for a team hanging below the playoff line. They’ve only lost twice in their last six. That’s an improvement.

HIGHLIGHTS: FC Cincinnati vs. DC United | May 31, 2025

Previous: 2-1 win at CIN | Next: 6/7 vs. CHI

24. FC Dallas · -1▼

There are worse weeks to have against two teams at the top of the East. Dallas came back from a two-goal deficit against Cincinnati to earn a draw in a strange 3-3 match midweek and then kept things much quieter in a 0-0 draw with first-place Philadelphia.

Previous: 0-0 draw vs. PHI | Next: 6/14 at SKC

25. Austin FC · -4▼

Diego Rubio rescued a point midweek with a stoppage-time equalizer against RSL, but Austin went right back to riding the struggle bus in attack in a 2-0 loss to San Diego on Saturday. They’ve scored two goals or more in a game just once this year, a 2-1 win over the same San Diego side that just blanked them.

Previous: 2-0 loss at SD | Next: 6/7 at COL

26. Real Salt Lake · -4▼

Allowing a late equalizer to Austin felt bad enough, but then they became the first team all year to lose to the Galaxy. RSL are winless in their last seven now.

Previous: 2-0 loss at LA | Next: 6/14 vs. DC

27. St. Louis CITY SC · +2▲

Olof Mellberg is officially out after just 15 games in charge. His hyper-defensive personnel selections didn’t click for St. Louis and now they’re looking for their third head coach in two and a half seasons of existence.

St. Louis CITY: What follows Olof Mellberg dismissal?

Previous: 2-1 win vs. SJ | Next: 6/8 at POR

28. Toronto FC · -2▼

Nothing doing this week for Toronto after losses to Philadelphia and Charlotte.

They’re 14th in the East.

Previous: 2-0 loss vs. CLT | Next: 6/13 at LAFC

29. LA Galaxy · +1▲

And let that be a lesson to everyone. No one keeps the Galaxy winless for 17 games in a row.

LA Galaxy: Can they make an improbable run?

Next: 2-0 win vs. RSL | Next: 6/14 at STL

30. CF Montréal · -2▼

A 4-2 loss at Inter Miami and a 3-0 loss to New England (featuring a red card from Giacomo Vrioni against his former team) made for a rough week.

Previous: 3-0 loss vs. NE | Next: 6/14 at HOU