By OkayGoal 
Powered by The Captains Agency, PIRlo is a proprietary data-driven evaluation system that rates and showcases players using real performance data to assess, develop, and promote athletes at every level. To learn more about our partnership, read our profile on the Captains Agency.
With the NWSL Championship playoffs underway, we have a clear view of the best players from the 2025 season. The league, which is quite competitive, boasts many talented players, making it difficult to choose the best XI. With PIRlo’s model, it is easy to find out the best outfield team (without GKs) made up from different NWSL teams. The data takes into consideration the top-performing players in their position. The players included come from five different clubs, and each one of them made an impact in their position on the field.
1. LB: Izzy Rodriguez
For left back, PIRlo’s model highlights Izzy Rodriguez of Kansas City Current. She’s PIRlo’s #5-ranked player in the NWSL this season with a 346.94 rating. Rodriguez had a great season as she finished it tied as league leader in assists among defenders with six assists. She also matched the Kansas City Current’s record for regular-season assists.
Rodriguez deserves to be named the best LB in the league. She is highly effective at combining her defensive duties with her attacking ones. As a modern full-back, she offers skillful overlaps, crosses, and key passes. In addition to this, her ability to contribute to the attack, as evidenced by her assist numbers and stellar chance creation, sets her apart from other defenders this season. However, her prowess in the final third doesn’t mean she neglects her defensive duties. Rodriguez has been an essential part of Kansas City’s back line in their highly successful regular season campaign, keeping 16 clean sheets and conceding only 13 goals. In a record-breaking team filled with riveting talent, Rodriguez shines brilliantly.
2. LCB: Sam Staab
PIRlo ranks Chicago Stars FC’s Sam Staab as this season’s best left center-back. She is ranked as #13 on PIRlo’s database with an overall PIRlo rating of 328.62.
Since the beginning of the season, Staab has been a consistent performer in central defense. She is among the leading defenders in minutes played and clearances. One of the reasons that earned her a spot on the best outfield NWSL team is her ability to deal with high-tempo attacks. This is only possible because she is also capable of reading the game and remaining calm while in possession and under pressure.
Left side central defenders are sometimes asked to step into midfield so they can start the build-up; Staab performs well when it comes to this, too. Her consistency throughout the season and the fact that she was trusted by her club in many games make her the best in her position. Not many players have the same set of skills that Staab has. Despite Chicago ending the season in last place and conceding the highest number of goals, PIRlo’s recognition of Staab is why complete data evaluation is so important. Staab is a bright spot in a team that is still in the process of rebuilding itself.
3. RCB: Trinity Armstrong
For the right center-back position, PIRlo’s model ranks San Diego Wave FC’s Trinity Armstrong as the best defender in the league this year. She’s PIRlo’s #3-ranked player in the NWSL this season with a 356.35 rating.
Despite her young age, Armstrong has been a mainstay of her team’s defensive line-up. She has been instrumental to the Wave’s build-up and with the offensive danger she poses to opponents. As a central defender, Armstrong has several key strengths, including aerial dominance, timely intercepts, and clearances. Her consistency and reliability are of clear importance to the Wave’s coaching staff, who selected her for the starting line-up in several important matches this year. Her defensive contributions to her team, along with her skills, are the reason why she is PIRlo’s top pick when it comes to the RCB position.
4. RB: Avery Patterson
PIRlo’s data analysis reveals that the best right back this season is the Houston Dash’s Avery Patterson. She ranks 14th with a 316.46 rating. This choice reflects how she has been recognized by the NWSL. Patterson is one of the finalists for Defender of the Year. This is thanks to her standout performances, despite the Dash’s 10th-place finish.
What sets Patterson apart as an RB is the balance she brings between her defensive and attacking duties. She excels in her positioning and one-on-one defending. On the attacking side, she brings a mixture of overlapping runs, crosses, and linking with the midfield. There are a lot of things taken into consideration to be a good RB, and Patterson has all of them. She has stamina, speed, crossing, and defensive abilities that have been recognized at both a league and national team level.
5. DM: Kenza Dali
In the defensive midfielder role, the choice has to be San Diego Wave’s Kenza Dali, PIRlo’s #2-ranked player with a 387.78 rating. She is also a finalist for the Midfielder of the Year Award this season.
As a defensive midfielder, Dali shines when it comes to protecting the back four. She manages to put an end to the opposition’s attacks while initiating her team’s forward plays. The 34-year-old player’s wealth of experience in leagues around the world helps her exceptional read of the game. Fans can’t help but notice how she is consistently there to win aerial or midfield duels while never straying away from her position on the field.
Throughout the season, Dali has given the Wave stability as the link between attack and defense. She also managed to score five goals and registered two assists. Being nominated for this year’s awards further rewards her influence across the pitch. She has been absolutely crucial to her team in their return to playoff form.
6. CM: Michelle Cooper
PIRlo’s model ranks the Kansas City Current’s Michelle Cooper as the best central midfield player. She’s PIRlo’s #12-ranked player for the 2025 NWSL season.
While Cooper usually played as an attacking winger or forward, she has been deployed centrally this season. She quickly proved herself in this new position, resulting in six goals and three assists. Cooper showed how she could bring driving runs during games while displaying intelligent moves between the lines. Not to mention that she is more than capable of finding the back of the net.
As a central midfielder, Cooper shows up during defensive and offensive plays. With defense, she is good at pressing and retrieving the ball. On the attacking side, she manages to link play and make late runs into the box. Kansas City’s midfield played an essential role in their regular-season dominance, and Cooper was a key piece of it with her ability to transition defense into attack. Though she is just 22 years old, she displays a lot of maturity with her tactical flexibility and impact on the team’s plays. This is why she is PIRlo’s best central midfielder this season.
7. AM: Leicy Santos
In the attacking midfielder position, the name that comes at the top of the list is the Washington Spirit’s Leicy Santos. Her statistics speak for themselves as PIRlo’s #4-ranked player in the NWSL this season with a rating of 352.69.
Throughout this year, Santos has been recognized as one of the most creative and consistent attacking midfielders in the NWSL. Several reasons make her the best AM this year. For starters, she has excellent vision and passing range. Both allow her to move the play from midfield to attack as she sneaks through defenses with through balls. Santos is also capable of arriving late into the box, which helps her generate dangerous shots that could end with goals. Her tactical intelligence enhances her connection with the forwards in front of her in attacking phase,s with a Spirit front line that has varied greatly this season.
8. LW/F: Temwa Chawinga
Kansas City Current’s Temwa Chawinga is PIRlo’s choice for the left wing/forward position. She might rank 21st in their system, but last season’s MVP and two-time Golden Boot winner is the best player in the league when it comes to her position and achieving far beyond her stat line. She finished the regular season as the NWSL’s top scorer with 15 goals plus three assists.
The reason for choosing Chawinga is clear: her numbers. They clearly reflect how she was the most dangerous threat, whether from the left side or when cutting inside. She combines several things that make her the best in her position. Chawinga has explosive pace, strong aerial ability, and clinical finishing.
As part of a dominant side such as Kansas City, Chawinga had help from other players. However, she still managed to create many of her own chances. Her impact doesn’t stop at scoring goals. The threat that she poses makes teams focus their defenses on her, which gives more space for her teammates to score goals themselves. Her important role in the team is undeniable.
9. CF: Bia Zaneratto
Another player from Kansas City Current who is part of the NWSL’s best outfield team is center forward Bia Zaneratto. She’s PIRlo’s #9-ranked player in the NWSL this season with a 335.79 PIRlo rating. The Brazilian forward had an excellent season that made her one of the finalists for the MVP Award.
What makes Zaneratto the perfect CF is the completeness of the qualities she brings to the table. She possesses a strong physical presence, excellent movement between the lines, and the ability to both finish and link play when needed. Just like Chawinga, defenders have to respect Zaneratto because she isn’t just capable of scoring, but she creates opportunities for her teammates as well.
She finished this season with seven goals and three assists. Zaneratto doesn’t just score goals. She excels at creating from her frontmost position, providing key passes, off-the-ball work, and exceptional distribution. This makes her the most complete center forward in the NWSL.
10. RW/F: Delphine Cascarino
Delphine Cascarino, who plays for the San Diego Wave, emerges as PIRlo’s best choice in the right wing/forward position. She is PIRlo’s #1-rated player for the 2025 NWSL season, and for a good reason, too. Cascarino finished this season tied for the top spot in the league for assists with six. She scored five goals.
Throughout the season, Cascarino combined pace, dribbling ability, and intelligence to make key passes behind any team’s defensive line. At the San Diego Wave, she deploys as a wide attacker but also moves inside when required. In addition to this, her assist tally shows that she isn’t just finishing chances but creating them as well. This makes her a dual threat. At 28 years old, Cascarino has the experience and consistency that make her a trusted selection, week in and week out. The team played 26 matches in the league, and Cascarino started in 23 of them. Her numbers speak for themselves.
Second X (Runners-Up)
Aside from those 10 players, others come right after them who also deserve a mention.
Defenders:
Reyna Reyes (LB + PIRlo’s #15-ranked player) from Portland Thorns is a very promising left back. She has shown strong defensive instincts, good pace, and the ability to help with attack. Esme Morgan (LCB + #30) contributed to the Washington Spirit’s central defense with composure and consistent starts. She offers a good reading of the game and excellent clearances. Tara McKeown (RCB + #8), who also plays for the Spirit, brings physicality, aerial strength, and technical maturity, making her a great player in her position. Hanna Lundkvist (RB + #17) from San Diego Wave delivered both defensively and offensively, especially with the three assists she provided.
Midfielders:
Sam Coffey (DM + #26) of the Portland Thorns combined leadership, defensive traits, and midfield control, which made her a steady presence in the Portland Thorns’ roster as she supported both defense and attack. In central midfield, the North Carolina Courage’s Riley Jackson (CM + #24) offered balanced contributions in build-up play, transitions, and defensive recovery. These qualities earned her a spot in the Second XI. Olivia Moultrie (AM + #6), who made a splash with the USWNT this fall, had a great year with the Portland Thorns as she made over 24 starts and scored eight goals while creating chances. Her creativity and attack drive make her the second pick behind the top attacking midfielder.
Attackers:
Alyssa Thompson (LW/F + #23) turned heads with her speed, directness, and potential even before her move to Chelsea. When she was still with Angel City, Thompson managed to score six goals and register two assists. Debinha (CF + #10), who plays for Kansas City Current, brought experience, smart movement, and finishing (8 goals in the regular season), making her a natural second-choice center forward. Trinity Rodman (RW/F + #25) gave the Washington Spirit creativity and consistent threat from the right wing despite injuries, earning her place in the second XI for her dual threat as both a scorer, with five goals, and a creator, with two assists.
This is GSN’s pick for the best outfield NWSL team based on data provided by PIRlo that covered talented players from every part of the outfield. It chose top attacking talent, creative midfield presence, and a strong back-four.
Data by PIRlo (Jonathan Kiersky & Jon Varela, The Captains Agency)
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