San Diego FC Defenders Luca Bombino and Manu Duah Named to 2025 MLS 22 Under 22 Rankings

Bombino ranked No. 9, Duah ranked No. 15 in annual list of top young talent in Major League Soccer

MLS today unveiled the full 2025 22 Under 22 Rankings Class with SDFC Defenders Luca Bombino ranked at No.9 and Manu Duah ranked at No. 15. Bombino and Duah become the first-two SDFC players to be named to the MLS 22 Under 22.

The full 2025 22 Under 22 class highlights the best young international and domestic players across the league. Players were voted on by an expert panel of MLS coaches, general managers, sporting directors, MLS Season Pass talent, and select media. Topping the list in 2025 is Seattle Sounders FC and Mexico National Team midfielder Obed Vargas, who is the third Seattle player to be ranked No. 1 overall and the first since the list became 22 Under 22 in 2018. Vargas is also the first Mexican player to earn the top spot in 22 Under 22.

Luca Bombino - Ranked No. 9
Bombino, 19, joined San Diego FC on loan from LAFC ahead of the 2025 MLS regular season. He made his MLS and club debut in the 72nd minute of a 3-1 win against Real Salt Lake on March 8 at America First Field. Since then, Bombino has become a mainstay in SDFC’s backline, making 25 regular season appearances (23 starts), recording one goal and four assists, Overall, he has registered 27 appearances and registered two goals and made four assists across all competitions.

Manu Duah – Ranked No. 15
Duah, 20, was selected as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 MLS SuperDraft by San Diego FC out of the University of California, Santa Barbara. He made his professional debut in the final minute of a 5-3 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC on June 25 at BC Place. Duah has since made 16 appearances (14 starts) across all competitions, including three starts in the 2025 Leagues Cup.

The 2025 version of the list includes a total of 14 Homegrown players with eight of the top 10 coming up through MLS academies. The most represented club is the Philadelphia Union with three players, while three other clubs had two selections on the list – Los Angeles Football Club, New England Revolution, and San Diego FC. Players on this year’s 22 Under 22 list entered through three different mechanisms: Homegrown signings (14), U22 Initiative signings (seven), and MLS SuperDraft selections (one).

Several players on the list have progressed through the MLS Pro Player Pathway, beginning their careers in MLS NEXT before competing in MLS NEXT Pro and then starring in MLS. 13 players in this year’s class previously played in MLS NEXT, as well as seven who earned their first MLS contract after starring in MLS NEXT Pro. Notable MLS NEXT standouts include Peyton Miller (No. 7), who helped lead the U19 New England Revolution to an MLS NEXT Cup title in 2023 as a 15-year-old, and San Diego FC’s Manu Duah (No. 15), who starred at Santa Barbara Soccer Club before becoming the first No. 1 overall selection in the MLS SuperDraft to compete in MLS NEXT.

Notable MLS NEXT Pro alumni include Philadelphia Union defender Frankie Westfield (No. 18), who played in 26 games with Philadelphia Union II in 2024 and helped lead the club to the 2024 MLS NEXT Pro Final, as well as Real Salt Lake’s Zavier Gozo(No. 10) who scored six times in 26 appearances for Real Monarchs in 2023-24. Additionally, Orlando City SC’s Alex Freeman (No. 2) saw action in 50 MLS NEXT Pro matches from 2023-24 before breaking out for the first team in 2025.

To be eligible for voting, players had to remain 21 or younger before Decision Day on October 18, and therefore must have been born after October 19, 2003. The all-time 22 Under 22 winners are below. Note: Prior to 2018, the list was known as the 24 Under 24.

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