Let's Predict The 2025 FC Dallas Season

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Yes, another predictions column. Every MLS opinion maker or thereabouts has one, and I’m no different. Sure, the season preview exists and you should definitely read that if you haven’t yet. This is more yearbook superlative stuff. It’s also something we can collectively laugh at when I get most of this stuff wrong.

Also it means at the end of the year, we’ll give out these awards to the people who actually win them. So let’s do it.

David Ferreira Award for FC Dallas MVP: Lucho Acosta

We’re starting with an easy one, and it goes to the only player on FC Dallas’ squad to ever win MVP before. Acosta has been one of the most consistent performers in his MLS tenure, and there’s nothing that says he won’t continue that form.

Consider this: last season Acosta had 14 goals. Petar Musa had 16 on his own, beating his new #10. However if you combine any three non Musa players on the roster, the best you can do is tie Acosta in goals. His 16 assists is more than double Dallas’ leader last year, which was Sebastian Lletget’s 7. Add any Dallas player’s asssits to Lletget, and you can’t match Lucho.

It’s not just goal actions, it’s availability. Acosta played 32 matches last year with 29 starts. That’s more MP than any Dallas player (four had 31). His 29 starts are more than all but one outfield player, that’s Sebastien Ibeagha at 31.

You put all that together, drop it in the middle of the Toros lineup, and it means if Acosta isn’t the MVP he’s enabled someone else to do so. Think Musa winning the Golden Boot off Acosta’s assist wizardy for example.

Paul Arriola Award for Newcomer of the Year: Anderson Julio

A disclaimer here: Since I’ve predicted Acosta as the club MVP, he’d obviously win this award on its face. So he’s honorably excluded from this category. That opens up the field to a lot of other contenders, since Dallas’ roster discharged fourteen players from 2024.

Julio is my early favorite based on a lot of training camp and friendly hype. Whenever he’s been on the pitch, he’s become the emergency value. When in doubt, pass it to Julio and see what happens. That’s worked out well so far, as Julio is usually near the goal or in position to cross the ball into the box.

The hope is with Musa and Acosta occupying most of the important defenders, Julio will sneak in and punish the opposition to the tune of double digit goals and a good amount of assists. He has the biggest opportunity of the non DPs to have a big season.

Matt Hedges Award for Defender of the Year: Marco Farfan

This was a three horse race, but I’ve settled on Farfan.

Shaq Moore was a strong contender, but I think he’s going to end up being a bigger contributor on offense than defense. Quill’s system has a flying right back, so Moore and his understudies are going to be up the field a lot helping the offense. That doesn’t mean he won’t be a good defender, but I don’t think it’ll be his key attribute.

Newcomer center back Osaze Urhoghide was in contention for this and the Arriola award both. I’m buying a lot of Osaze stock early, because I think he’s going to be really good in FCD colors. His ability to play more up should allow Ibeagha or Lalas Abubakar to be the more stay at home CB, which fits their skill sets more. That said adjusting to MLS is hard, even coming from Ligue 2 which has produced a fair amount of talent for the league. He will adapt, but I could see year one being his worst even if I am bullish on his career prospects.

Which brings me to Farfan. Last year Farfan never really got going. Injuries kept him out to start the season, and with his primary left back position not available he was a man without a country. Wing back didn’t quite fit, neither did left center back. That wasn’t for lack of effort on his part.

This year Farfan will be back at his left back spot for a new coach with something to prove. He’ll be charged with locking down some real good players, and I think he’ll be up to the challenge. Farfan’s a warrior, a supreme competitor who fits all the ethos that 2025 FC Dallas wants embodied on the pitch. The Marco Farfan Revenge Tour begins Saturday, and I can’t wait to see it unfold.

Bernard Kamungo Award for Best NTSC Promoted Player: Pedrinho

FC Dallas has plenty of eligible players for this award, considering they signed six Homegrowns and promoted others up via hybrid contracts. Of all the options for the award, Pedrinho is the clear favorite.

For those who didn’t watch the second team last season, you’re in for a treat with the Brazilian. His passing and creativity are of high Brazilian quality, at times dabbling into the fantastic. Pedrinho’s ceiling is the moon, and when he’s switched on other teams are going to have real problems with him.

The other side of that coin is all that brilliance isn’t permanent. While he never lacks for effort, the production can be inconsistent. That and learning when to do the ordinary instead of the extraordinary are the two biggest things he’ll need to work on to become a bona fide MLS player. It’ll probably take time and coaching, but both are on his side.

If you want someone else to put your chips on, Diego Garcia demands your attention. He’s going to be a starting midfield in MLS one day, mark my words. If Dallas’ midfield issues from 2024 extend to this year, Garcia could see more action than anticipated. If he ends up starting a good amount of games, Garica could overtake his title winning teammate for this award.

Kenny Cooper Jr Award for 2025 Fan Favorite: Ramiro

This might seem counter intuative considering how dismal the fan reaction was to Ramiro’s signing, and how many players have arrived since. It’s a bit of a heat check, but I have my reasoning.

Ramiro has all the qualities that make up a fan favorite. He’s on the smaller side, he puts in full effort, isn’t afraid to get physical, and is going to annoy the opposing team quite a bit at full strength. Call him scrappy or tenacious or whatever, but he’s got that energy most fan favorite players end up with.

That’s not a commentary on his quality mind you, although the better he is the better this pick will look. Dallas has their potential midfield pitbull, and that usually adds up to love from the supporters.

Lionel Messi Award for Game Of The Year: April 12th vs Seattle Sounders

Picking one of 34 games for this is almost impossible, because we never really know how things will go. So we’re going narrative heavy for this early season game.

Dallas will be seven games into the season when Seattle comes to Toyota Stadium, and the hope is their roster will be more complete. Acosta and Musa should be gelling barring problems, and the defensive backline should be solidified. The week before they’ll have played a dangerous Atlanta United team on the road, and will likely be wanting to get back on the right foot.

It’s also the first game back in Frisco for Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola, as they wear the colors for a Western Conference favorite. Dallas’ struggles with Seattle are more commonplace at Lumen Field, but this will be a big test barring big changes. This is also the only home game in April for Dallas, meaning the crowd should be full and hyped given all the circumstances.

Western Conference Finish: 6th place, hosting Seattle Sounders in 1st round

Predictions for where Dallas will finish in the Western table are all over the place unless you’re looking in the top four. Which is fair based on what we know right now.

That said the West is such a volatile conference below the elite. In some order LAFC, LA Galaxy, and Seattle Sounders will occupy the top three spots. Even then all three squads have questions, but they appear to be the cream of the West’s crop going into the first week.

Once you get past that, it feels wild open. Austin and San Jose have both added quality players, but both have new coaches and are coming off bad years. Houston has their coach but no longer have all their DPs from 2024. Real Salt Lake and Sporting Kansas City tore their rosters down to the studs not unlike Dallas, without the replacing them with anything part.

That’s before we even see what San Diego has to offer, whether Colorado or Portland can keep it together in 2025, or if Minnesota and Vancouver can continue to be thorns in the side of the league.

All this chaos in the upper middle and beyond benefits Dallas, who are in position to stay in the hunt until the secondary window. When that comes they can crack open the GAM war chest, reinforcing whatever roster needs they have at the time or adding that over the top piece. Should it all line up, Dallas could jump up for that 4th spot.

More likely the Quill adaptation takes some time, meaning the Toros improve over the season and settle into a safe playoff space. The MLS gods tend to be cruel, so Dallas having to do another best of three in the Emerald City after this offseason. Although beating the Sounders in that scenario might be the biggest endorsement of Quill’s tenure.

Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Finish: Winner

I haven’t had a heat check yet, so let’s lob this one up. With the changes to the tournament’s format Dallas enters in the round of 32, and with a weaker MLS field competing for the Cup this could be where Dallas finds their joy in 2025.

Looking over the MLS candidates the obvious scary teams are Houston, Minnesota, Red Bulls, Orlando, and Philadelphia. Considering last year’s winners LAFC nor Dallas’ USOC bogey team Sporting Kansas City aren’t in, this opens up possibilities. Especially if Dallas reinforces during the summer window.

As well it’d be a huge statement of intent by Quill and company to bring home this particular trophy. We say it every year on the broadcast but this one means more to Dallas than other squads. It’s not just a trophy but a legacy, and achieving it once again would be massive.

If it comes down to it and Dallas has a chance to win USOC at the expense of even the MLS playoffs? Do it, chase that dream.

Assorted Minor Predictions

• Pedrinho will have an Assist of the Year if not Goal of the Year candidate
• Maarten Paes will lead Indonesia to a 2026 World Cup spot
• Paxton Pomykal will win Comeback Player of the Year
• Nolan Norris and Diego Garcia will start one game together in midfield
• Petar Musa will finish top five in the Golden Boot race
• Michael Collodi will have at least one MLS clean sheet in 2025
• Dallas will have four MLS All Stars
• Eric Quill will be a finalist for MLS Coach Of The Year
• Dallas’ big add in the summer will be an elite MLS midfielder

What do you think will happen in 2025 for the Toros?

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