It was a wild year, good and bad, for American soccer. On the field and off, new personalities burst on the scene. Our list of the top new personalities includes five players, plus an MLS owner, an NASL owner, a mayor, a judge, an attorney and a lobbyist.

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Paul Kennedy edited Soccer America for 41 years (1985-2026). He began writing for SA in 1974. He started writing for France Football in 1978 and has served on in Ballon d'Or jury since 2007.