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

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

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


SAN DIEGO - 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.

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.

All-Time 22 Under 22 Winners

Year Player Club Current Club

2025 Obed Vargas Seattle Sounders FC Seattle Sounders FC

2024 Diego Gómez Inter Miami CF Brighton and Hove Albion (ENG)

2023 Alan Velasco FC Dallas Boca Juniors (ARG)

2022 Jesús Ferreira FC Dallas Seattle Sounders FC

2021 Ricardo Pepi FC Dallas PSV (NED)

2020 Brenden Aaronson Philadelphia Union Leeds United (ENG)

2019 Diego Rossi Los Angeles Football Club Columbus Crew

2018 Alphonso Davies Vancouver Whitecaps FC Bayern Munich (GER)

2017 Miguel Almirón Atlanta United Atlanta United

2016 Cyle Larin Orlando City SC Feyenoord (NED)

2015 Fabián Castillo FC Dallas Deportivo Cali (COL)

2014 DeAndre Yedlin Seattle Sounders FC Real Salt Lake

2013 Darlington Nagbe Portland Timbers Columbus Crew

2012 Darren Mattocks Vancouver Whitecaps FC N/A

2011 Brek Shea FC Dallas N/A

2010 Fredy Montero Seattle Sounders FC Real Cartagena (COL)

For the latest news and Club updates, please visit SanDiegoFC.com, follow @SanDiegoFC on social media across all platforms, and use the hashtag #SanDiegoFC #FlowWithUs.

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