Minnesota United Defender Nicolás Romero Ranked No. 19 in MLS 2025 22 Under 22 Rankings
MLS Minnesota United FC

Minnesota United Defender Nicolás Romero Ranked No. 19 in MLS 2025 22 Under 22 Rankings

Published on October 8, 2025 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Minnesota United FC News Release


GOLDEN VALLEY, Minn. - Minnesota United, along with Major League Soccer, unveiled the 2025 22 Under 22 class highlighting the best young international and domestic players across the league, which included MNUFC defender Nicolás Romero at No. 19. Players were voted on by an expert panel of MLS coaches, general managers, sporting directors, MLS Season Pass talent, and select media.

Romero joined the Loons at the start of the 2025 season after playing his entire soccer career with Atlético Tucumán in Argentina. Romero started in Tucumán's academy at the age of 12 before making his senior team debut at the age of 17 in 2021. With Tucumán, the center back made 78 game appearances across all competitions, and scored twice in over 6,500 minutes of action on the pitch.

With the Loons, Romero has appeared in 32 matches across all competitions, including 28 starts. In MLS play, Romero has appeared in 26 games, recording five assists across 2,035 minutes. Defensively, he ranks second in clearances for the club this season with 44 clearances, and has helped the team record nine of the 10 shutouts.

2025 22 Under 22 Class

Rank Player Club Age Academy(s)

1 Obed Vargas Seattle Sounders FC 20 Seattle Sounders FC

2 Alex Freeman Orlando City SC 21 Orlando City SC, Weston FC

3 Idan Toklomati Charlotte FC 21 Maccabi Petah Tikva

4 Owen Wolff Austin FC 20 Austin FC, Atlanta United, Columbus Crew

5 David Martínez Los Angeles Football Club 19 Monagas SC

6 Quinn Sullivan Philadelphia Union 21 Philadelphia Union

7 Peyton Miller New England Revolution 17 New England Revolution, Oakwood SC

8 Nathan Ordaz Los Angeles Football Club 21 Los Angeles Football Club

9 Luca Bombino San Diego FC 19 Los Angeles Football Club

10 Zavier Gozo Real Salt Lake 18 Real Salt Lake

11 Chris Brady Chicago Fire FC 21 Chicago Fire FC

12 Noah Allen Inter Miami CF 21 Inter Miami CF, Weston FC

13 Olwethu Makhanya Philadelphia Union 21

14 Kevin Kelsy Portland Timbers 21 Mineros de Guayana

15 Manu Duah San Diego FC 20 Santa Barbara Soccer Club

16 Julián Fernández New York City FC 21 Vélez Sarsfield

17 Ilay Feingold New England Revolution 21 Maccabi Haifa

18 Frankie Westfield Philadelphia Union 19 Philadelphia Union

19 Nicolás Romero Minnesota United FC 21 Atlético Tucumán

20 Darren Yapi Colorado Rapids 20 Colorado Rapids

21 Brooklyn Raines Houston Dynamo FC 20 Houston Dynamo FC, Barca Residency Academy

22 Taha Habroune Columbus Crew 19 Columbus Crew

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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