All stats as of Monday, September 25, 2023
In his second full season in Atlanta, Gonzalo Pineda’s team is tied for the most goals in MLS with 61 through 31 games played and clinched a playoff position entering Matchday 29. Pineda joined Atlanta in August of 2021 after serving as an assistant coach with Seattle Sounders FC and a 13-year playing career in Liga MX, MLS and with the Mexican National Team.
In his first season at the helm, the Argentine coach led the team to a 406-minute streak without allowing a goal, the second longest in club history. Losada also guided his group to a club-record 11 clean sheets this season. He leads a young team, the second youngest in MLS, who is fighting for a playoff spot. Hernán Losada helped Montréal regain its Stade Saputo fortress with nine wins in 15 games, piloting his squad to tie a franchise record of six straight home wins dating back to 2012.
The Italian manager is in his first full season at the helm of Charlotte FC and steered the Club to the brink of the playoffs as of submission time. Charlotte also made it to the quarterfinals of the Leagues Cup 2023.
After being named the Crew’s head coach in December 2022, Wilfried Nancy has led the Crew to third in the Eastern Conference with a 14-9-7 record, positioning the team to potentially earn its first playoff berth since winning 2020 MLS Cup. Under Nancy’s direction, the Black & Gold have posted the most goals in MLS and the most in club annals since its inaugural 1996 season with 61 in 30 matches. The Crew possess a +19-goal differential, which is tied for best in MLS and the highest total in Columbus Crew history through 30 matches. Columbus also leads the league in possession percentage and assists (66 tallied), eight more than the next team in the league.
The Crew have lost only three regular season matches since May 29 and, at 49 points with four matches remaining, are only eight points shy of an all-time club record (57 points in 2008). Nancy could become the first coach in MLS history to lead two clubs to their respective team-best point totals in successive seasons, as he guided CF Montréal to a club-high 65 points (20-9-5) in 2022 and finished a close second in the campaign’s Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year honors.
Nancy and the Crew have established a strong homefield advantage at Lower.com Field, where they hold a 11-1-3 record, the best home record to date in club history since the 2018 season. The Crew own an active 10-game unbeaten streak at home, highlighted by five consecutive home victories. The club has registered 38 goals at home, the most in MLS this season and second-best mark in club history through 15 matches. Additionally, it is already the Crew’s highest goal total for an entire season since 1998. Under Nancy this season, the club has posted a +26-goal differential while at home, the best mark in MLS this year and best in club history through 15 matches.
Nancy and his staff have helped 11 returning players earn career-highs this season, most notably Juan ‘Cucho’ Hernández, Aidan Morris, and Steven Moreira. Nancy’s offensive system has seen 10 players on the Crew score two or more goals this season. In July, both Lucas Zelarayán and Aidan Morris were named to the 2023 MLS All-Star Team for their performances, the first-time multiple Crew players earned selections since the 2015 season.
D.C. United head coach Wayne Rooney had his first full season at the helm of the Black-and-Red in 2023. The legendary forward has helped turn the team around after a disappointing 2022 season in the District. This season, Rooney has led the Black-and-Red to a 9-13-9 record in the league and is still fighting for a playoff position heading into the final stretch of the season. Rooney also managed the 2023 MLS All-Star team that competed against Arsenal F.C. on July 19 at Audi Field.
Pat Noonan is at the helm for what is undeniably one of the greatest franchise turnarounds in American sports history. He leads an FC Cincinnati team which has led MLS for a majority of the season, taking sole possession of first place in the Supporters’ Shield standings on May 17, 2023, and never looking back.
FC Cincinnati are the first team across any of the five major American sports leagues to break out of a three-year last-place finish run by being above .500 the following year, let alone to do so in consecutive years.
Only three teams in the history of the other four leagues had finished last in their league in three consecutive seasons and countered with a winning season in the two years that followed.
- 1992-93 Quebec Nordiques (47-27-10) were the lowest finishing team in the NHL from 1988-89 through 1990-91
- 1997-98 Ottawa Senators (34-33-15) were lowest finishing team in the NHL from 1993-94 through 1995-96
- 2015 Houston Astros (86–76) were the lowest finishing team in MLB from 2011-13
Noonan and Cincinnati became the first team to qualify for the 2023 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs with a 2-1 win at Atlanta United on August 30. The team needed only 26 matches to secure a postseason berth, the second-fastest pace ever in MLS, trailing only LAFC, who twice clinched in 25 games in 2022 and 2019.
This season, Nico Estévez has positioned FC Dallas to a playoff position for the majority of the 2023 season. Under Estévez, FC Dallas currently have a record of 10-10-9 and will look to make the playoffs for the second consecutive year in a row.
Head coach Nico Estévez led FC Dallas last year to a 14-9-11 record in 2022. The club’s final tally of 53 points was a 20-point turnaround from 2021 marking the club’s biggest year-over-year improvement in its 26-year history. Estévez also oversaw the team’s first home playoff victory since 2016.
Nico Estévez was named the eighth full-time head coach in club history on December 2, 2021. Estévez joined FC Dallas from U.S. Soccer where he served as an assistant coach for the U.S. Men’s National Team. He has more than 20 years of coaching experience that includes stints in Spain’s La Liga and Major League Soccer. Estévez holds a UEFA Pro License and an Elite Formation Coaching License (EFCL).
Dynamo head coach Ben Olsen is in his first season with the club and led the team to the 2023 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final. Additionally, the Dynamo enter the last stretch of the regular season in a postseason position, and this is the first time the team has reached that mark this late into a season since 2017. Olsen's first year includes reaching the Round of 16 of Leagues Cup 2023 and the team also qualified for the 2024 Concacaf Champions Cup. His approach has led the team to a new mark for clean sheets in a single season with 11, and the Dynamo began the season with only conceding two goals at home in the first 10 games. Olsen has navigated the addition of 17 players and the team has finalized more than 20 transactions in the last two transfer windows to build a team that is currently in the top five of the Western Conference.
Inter Miami CF head coach Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino joined Inter Miami CF midway through the season and immediately turned the team’s form around, guiding it along a sharp upward trajectory, and continuing to put Major League Soccer on the map in global fútbol with a historic Leagues Cup title.
The experienced Argentine coach took over in July and has experienced just two losses as head coach of Inter Miami. Between those losses, though, Martino guided the team to a Club-record unbeaten streak of 12 games.
Amid the unbeaten streak was the Club’s first-ever piece of silverware at the First Team level; Martino guided Inter Miami to a historic triumph at Leagues Cup 2023, pulling the necessary strings to help the team win the first edition of the new tournament. Notably, the head coach helped the team come from behind in a thrilling penalty shootout win over FC Dallas in the tournament, making the changes that helped the team pull off the feat, including putting young midfielder Benja Cremaschi on the field, which paid immediate dividends with a goal, and a game-winning penalty in the shootout.
Martino has continued to make the right moves since the return to MLS action, resulting in four wins and two draws, including an emphatic 1-3 win over reigning MLS Cup champions LAFC, and an impressive 3-2 win over Sporting Kansas City while missing eight key players to international duty. In recognition of his efforts, Martino has been named the coach on the MLS Team of the Matchday in two of his four regular season matches since the return to MLS play following Leagues Cup.
The Argentine coach’s adjustments have lifted the team as it fights for playoff contention, resulting in a significant uptick in form and a string of positive results, a clear indicator of the immense value he brings on the touchline.
In his third season with the club, LA Galaxy Head Coach and Sporting Director Greg Vanney has led the club to a 8-11-10 record during the 2023 MLS Regular Season. Following the 2-2 draw against St. Louis CITY SC on Sept. 10, the LA Galaxy extended their unbeaten run to four matches (2-0-2; 8 GF, 4 GA) and improved to 5-1-6 (23 GF, 17 GA) in their last 12 regular season matches played dating back to May 31. The Galaxy was on a three-game losing streak before traveling to Real Salt Lake and coming from behind to earn a 3-2 win on the road on May 31. The LA Galaxy ranks second in the Western Conference in points per game (1.67 ppg; 15 GP, 25 pts) dating back to May 31, and rank tied for fifth overall in the league.
In a historic and unprecedented 2023 season, Steve Cherundolo kept LAFC near the top of the Western Conference despite his team playing 43 games in all competitions by Sept. 25. While juggling multiple tournaments and competitions, Cherundolo led his team to the Concacaf Champions League Final, the Leagues Cup 2023 Quarterfinal, and an appearance in the 2023 Campeones Cup. LAFC traveled over 33,000 miles before June 15, and Cherundolo helped make sure the Black & Gold were always near the top of the table and one of the most dangerous and feared teams in MLS.
After missing his superstar playmaker Emanuel Reynoso for the first 15 games of the season, plus a season-ending injury to Finnish star Robin Lod, Adrian Heath showcased his tactical evolution and has MNUFC primed to make the playoffs for the 5th straight season - the only club in the West to reach that mark in the past 4 consecutive seasons. Despite an underwhelming home record, Heath and his team have earned six road wins, good for second-most in MLS in 2023 so far.
In his fourth season as Head Coach of Nashville Soccer Club at the MLS level, sixth overall, Smith has continued to lead the club to success with an expected fourth consecutive playoff run in 2023 and a Leagues Cup 2023 Final appearance that the team lost in penalties to Inter Miami CF. Thus far, under the guidance of Smith, Nashville has reached the Playoffs in five consecutive seasons across all competitions in the USL Championship and Major League Soccer. While at the helm in the USL Championship for two seasons, Smith led Nashville to a 32W-16L-20D record in league play and reached the Playoffs on both campaigns. In the 2018 season, Nashville SC reached the Conference Quarterfinals after securing the eighth seed. During the 2019 campaign, Nashville SC thrived under Smith earning a 20W-7L-7D record with 67 points, good for second place in the Eastern Conference. The club reached the USL Championship Eastern Conference Semifinals.
Now in MLS, in 2022, Smith led Nashville SC to its highest win total in club history (13) which led them to the Western Conference Quarterfinals, despite having started 2022 with eight matches on the road. During that road stretch, Smith’s side set a league record for most points earned per game (1.38) by teams who have historically started the season with eight or more matches on the road. In the 2021 season under the guidance of Smith, Nashville SC became the seventh team in MLS history to go unbeaten at home with an 8W-0L-9D record while finishing tied for second place in the Eastern Conference. Smith led Nashville SC to the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the second consecutive season.
Despite a chaotic inaugural MLS season, Smith led Nashville to two Audi MLS Cup Playoff victories on their way to the Eastern Conference Semifinals, becoming the first expansion team to accomplish this goal since the 1998 Chicago Fire FC. Nashville cruised to a 3-0 victory over Inter Miami CF at Nissan Stadium in the club's first-ever MLS playoff victory. During the 2020 season, Smith guided Nashville SC to a nine-match home unbeaten streak and a 5W-2L-5D record when in Music City. Smith’s career home record in MLS is among the best of active MLS coaches.
Troy Lesesne took over as New York Red Bulls Head Coach on May 8, when the Red Bulls began their season with a record of 1W-4L-6D. During his first week as Head Coach, Lesesne led New York to two victories over major club rivals (NYCFC and D.C. United) and has posted a 4-0-0 mark across all competitions against major club rivals this season. He also became the first Red Bulls Head Coach in franchise history for the team to record a clean sheet in his first three matches in charge.
During Leagues Cup 2023, Lesesne led New York to the Round of 16 after topping their group, which included then third-place New England Revolution and Atletico de San Luis. He then led the club to defeat NYCFC, 1-0, in the Round of 32 at Red Bull Arena. The Red Bulls have posted a 10-8-7 mark since Lesesne took over and he has helped the club regain its home form posting an 8W-3L-4D record across all competitions at Red Bull Arena since he has been in charge.
Coming off a successful 2022 with an Eastern Conference Final appearance and Campeones Cup victory, Nick Cushing assumed the full-time Head Coach role in 2023. Guiding the Club through a transitional phase, he continued to produce an exciting and attacking brand of soccer with a focus on controlling possession.
Leaning on his significant experience, coaching Manchester City Women, Cushing also helped develop several of the Club’s, exciting young players. The fruits of that labor saw the first ever goal scored by a Homegrown player in Club history when Justin Haak found the net against Columbus.
Cushing’s commitment to both his and the Club’s shared principles have helped establish an exciting foundation that will no doubt serve the ‘Boys in Blue’ well when they embark upon the 2024 season.
Óscar Pareja is now finishing up his fourth season with Orlando City SC and, for the fourth year in a row, has clinched a playoff spot with the Lions. Pareja has coached the Lions to a league-best away record 7-4-4 on the road, taking points from some of the toughest grounds in the league. Earlier this season, Pareja became just the sixth coach in MLS history to win 150 regular-season matches and is on pace to manage the Lions to their 100th regular-season win in Club history in 2023.
Currently in his 10th season as Philadelphia Union’s head coach, Jim Curtin holds the second-most regular season wins with a single team with 131 among active MLS coaches and is the second-longest tenured coach in Major League Soccer, behind Peter Vermes.
After becoming the only team to remain unbeaten at home in 2022, Curtin continues to hold his team to the highest standard, currently unbeaten in 11 home matches, and losing only once at home this season. Last season, Curtin guided the Union to their first MLS Cup final appearance after recording a record-breaking season in club history including most wins (19), most goals scored (72), fewest goals conceded (26), and greatest goal differential (46).
Additionally, Curtin helped the club achieve first place in the Eastern Conference for the second time in three years, clinching a Scotiabank Concacaf Champions League berth for the second time in club history, where the team ultimately reached the SCCL semi-finals. Previously, Curtin took the Union to the US Open Cup final in 2014, 2015, and 2018, semi-finals of the MLS Is Back Tournament in 2020, and made the playoffs in each of the last five seasons. Curtin achieved his 100th regular season career win as head coach after the Union’s win over the San Jose Earthquakes on March 12, 2022, achieving it in under 250 matches to become the second youngest and 10th coach overall in league history to do so.
With his continued team success, Curtin became the youngest two-time recipient of the Sigi Schmid MLS Coach of the Year award (2020, 2022), becoming the fifth coach overall in league history to win the award multiple times and the first Philadelphia-based head coach across the five major North American men’s professional sports leagues to twice win a Coach of the Year award in their respective sport.
Utilizing 29 different players from Academy, college, MLS Next Pro and DP backgrounds over the course of the 2023 gauntlet, RSL boss Pablo Mastroeni navigated the Club out of a difficult start to the year to attain top-five status in the West at the time of writing, RSL dropping just 3 of 24 games across all competitions during a 120-day run from April 8 - August 4 that saw the Claret-and-Cobalt rise from 12th to 3rd in MLS, and advance to this year's Open Cup Semifinal as well as the Leagues Cup 2023 Round of 16 ... A media favorite due to his genuine honesty and straight-forward approach, Mastroeni has successfully navigated several new additions, overcome the loss of metronome Pablo Ruiz, and integrated Chicho Arango to a core group that no one wants to face in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs
In his first year as head coach, Luchi Gonzalez has brought the Earthquakes into play-off contention after finishing last in the Western Conference in 2022. The Quakes won only eight matches that season, and this season earned their ninth win with 10 games to go in the regular season. San Jose seeks to qualify for playoffs for the first time since 2020.
Under his leadership, the Quakes boasted a nine-match home unbeaten streak and earned wins against both 2022 MLS Cup Finalists LAFC and the Philadelphia Union. The club has only lost twice in 16 MLS home matches.
He has connected with the fans, media, and front office staff under what it means to represent the city of San Jose. His experience as an assistant coach for the United States Men’s National Team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup has brought new life to the club.
Entering his eighth season as Head Coach, Brian Schmetzer’s campaign began in February in Morocco at the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup, where Sounders FC became the first MLS side to participate. In MLS regular season play, the Rave Green have once again been near the top of the Western Conference, currently tied for second with 45 points (12-9-9), including a .500 or above winning percentage both at home (6-4-5) and on the road (6-5-4). Once again one of the top defensive teams in MLS, Seattle ranks second in MLS with just 31 goals allowed this season and 11 shutouts (as of September 26, 2023).
Peter Vermes is in his 15th season as Sporting Kansas City Manager in 2023 and is the longest-tenured active head coach in MLS. He is the team’s longest-serving manager and his 234 coaching victories in all competitions are the most in club history. During his tenure, he has won four major trophies – the 2012, 2015 and 2017 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cups and the 2013 MLS Cup championship – and finished atop the Eastern Conference regular-season standings in 2011 and 2012, as well as the Western Conference in 2018 and 2020. His three U.S. Open Cup championships are the third most in Open Cup history. His 191 regular-season wins are the most among active MLS coaches and top the club’s all-time chart, while also ranking fourth most in MLS history.
Vermes is the first coach in club history to lead Sporting KC to eight straight postseason appearances, as well as the only person to ever win the MLS Cup as both a player and a coach with the same team. He was named the first-ever MLS Sporting Executive of the Year by his peers in 2018. Vermes has coached 552 total games during his Kansas City coaching career, most in club history.
- First-year as a full-time head coach, Bradley Carnell has taken an expansion team from preseason last-place prediction to top of the Western Conference with three matches remaining.
- The team's 16 wins are tied for the most by an expansion club, excluding the shoot-out era, with the 2018 LAFC team.
- CITY SC has been in first place of the Western conference in 25 of their 31 matchdays. STL has never dropped lower than third all season.
- Just one of two teams in MLS with at least 10 home wins and 5 road wins.
- STL was the first expansion team to begin the season 5-0-0.
- STL is third in the league in scoring with 58 goals and is tied for first in goal differential at +19.
- 16 different goal scorers/16 different assist makers.
- CITY SC also became the third team in MLS history to score at least three goals in five of their first eight games of a season, joining the Red Bulls in 2018 (6) and the Galaxy in 1998 (5).
- St. Louis scored at least three goals in eight of their first 14 matches. ’98 Galaxy were the only other team to accomplish.
- Fastest expansion side to 25 points.
In his second full season as head coach, Vanni Sartini continues to propel Vancouver Whitecaps FC to new heights across several competitions, which already includes 10 matches in cup competitions.
To start the year, Sartini led the Blue and White to the quarterfinals of this year's Concacaf Champions League. In the Canadian Championship, the Italian made history as the 'Caps won back-to-back Voyageurs' Cup titles for the first time in club history. In Leagues Cup action, the 'Caps were one of the few teams to not a lose a match in regulation, claiming draws against Liga MX sides Club León and Tigres UANL.
Sartini has designed his side to be a formidable offensive force, scoring four or more goals in a match five times this season. The 'Caps have tallied the second-highest expected-goals in the league with 48.26 and second-highest expected-assists with 35.05 In addition, the ‘Caps are on pace to set a club record for the most goals scored in a single MLS season. On the defensive side of the ball, the ‘Caps press has led to the second-most tackles in the attacking third with 80 and the fourth-most tackles and interceptions with 819.
The ‘Caps are pushing for a top four spot in the Western Conference and have already secured the club's seventh Cascadia Cup, winning the supporters-created title for the first time since 2016.
Amongst the overall team success, Sartini has helped develop several young talents in the group, including former MLS NEXT Pro players in Ali Ahmed and Simon Becher, as well as 21-year-old Pedro Vite. He's also brought out the best in MVP candidate Ryan Gauld and leading American goal scorer Brian White. The pair sit near the top in goal contributions this season, with Gauld tallying 20 and White recording 16.
