With CONCACAF arguably the deepest it's ever been, GOAL looks at the North American stars ruling the region
Who is the best player in CONCACAF? The debate rages on – and rightfully so. With around 400 days until the 2026 World Cup, all eyes are on the region, especially as the U.S., Canada, and Mexico prepare to host. This month's CONCACAF Nations League offered another stage for the region's biggest stars to shine, and it's safe to say Mexico's triumph at the end of it all shook things up.
Determining the best isn’t easy. CONCACAF is arguably deeper than ever in terms of talent. For years, the U.S. and Mexico dominated, but that’s no longer the case. The rise of teams like Canada, Panama and Jamaica has made this debate more intriguing, thanks to their own standout players.
Panama, the competition's underdog, defeated the U.S. to book a date with Mexico in the CONCACAF Nations League finale, and it was only a late penalty call that undid their quest for a trophy. And Canada denied the U.S. any sense of redemption by winning the third-place game over the three-time defending champions.
When evaluating the best, several factors come into play, but none more than form – at both club and international level. The truly great players deliver no matter the jersey. That’s what sets them apart.
So who are the best players in CONCACAF right now? And who is No. 1? GOAL takes a look.
Getty7Tyler Adams: USMNT 🌟
He's back healthy, and what a difference that makes for club and country.
For the USMNT, that difference didn't lead to overall team results, but the eye test made it quite clear how much Adams adds to the midfield. The debate rages on when it comes to him having another defensive-minded midfielder next to him, and the fact that it is a debate illustrates just how much ground Adams can cover on his own.
He's been thriving for Bournemouth, earning the club's Player of the Month honors for February. His injury issues seem behind him, knock on wood, which means Adams can now reclaim his place among the best in CONCACAF.
AdvertisementGetty Images6Alphonso Davies: Canada ⬇️
A tough one for Davies, who will soon fall off this list after sustaining a serious injury. The Canadian star tore his ACL in Canada's win over the USMNT, which will knock him out for an extended period of time. The good news is that he'll be back in advance of the World Cup, but he'll need to rebuild his body after this unfortunate setback.
On his day, Davies might be the best player in this region. There's a reason he's just signed a new Bayern contract, ending any hopes of a Real Madrid move, and that reason is obvious: Bayern need him. To be such a key player at a club that big is an incredible success story, although that story just took a big blow with this injury.
Getty Images5Santi Gimenez: Mexico ⬇️
His strike partner did all of the heavy lifting during the Nations League, but EL Tri fans have plenty of reasons to remain high on their young AC Milan star.
He assisted Joao Felix in his Milan debut, scored his first goal just a few days later, and then netted in the Champions League defeat to his former club Feyenoord. In total, he has three goals in his first 10 games in all competitions, a respectable haul given the leap in level.
More importantly for Mexico's sake, though, he proved he can play as a second striker during the Match window, helping lead the Mexico attack in the Nations League win. Gimenez still has a lot of growing to do if he's going to be the prolific goalscorer many think he can be on the international level but he's clearly on a good track.
Getty4Antonee Robinson: USMNT ↔️
His incredible form showed during the first half of the season has slowed down a bit, but it still remains true: there are few Premier League players that can say they're having a better season than Robinson.
Only one, Mohamed Salah, has more assists in England's top flight this season – with the Liverpool star at 17 to Robinson's 10. So what does that mean for Robinson? Well, it means he's playing at a ridiculously high level.
If you didn't believe that before, just look at how much the USMNT dropped off without him in the XI in the Nations League. With Robinson injured, the U.S. struggled with width, something that the Fulham star adds to the team every time he's on the field.
As modern fullbacks go, Robinson can do it all. He contributes those assists, is very good defensively and his pace and timing allow him to make multiple key plays a game on either side of the field. With or without the ball, Robinson does vital things for club and country, which is why he continues to stay right near the top of this list.
