It was Pedro Cruz who emerged victorious in the 2025 edition of Goalie Wars, taking home the coveted championship belt at the MLS All-Star Skills Challenge.
Carlos Mercado (Orlando City B), Pedro Cruz (Houston Dynamo 2), Adisa De Rosario (Toronto FC II), and Eldin Jakupović (Chattanooga FC) all battled under the bright lights of Q2 Stadium in one of the night’s most anticipated events.
The night began with a semifinal showdown between Houston Dynamo 2’s Pedro Cruz and Toronto FC II’s Adisa De Rosario.
Cruz wasted no time setting the tone, scoring early while De Rosario struggled to find his rhythm in the opening attempts. The Houston Dynamo 2 shot-stopper kept the pressure on, eventually scoring five goals in the semifinal.
Cruz tied the Goalie Wars goals scored record set by former Austin FC II goalkeeper Damian Las in the 2023 semifinals to book his ticket to the final in a 5-1 victory.
On the other side of the bracket, Orlando City B’s Carlos Mercado took on Chattanooga FC’s Eldin Jakupović.
Jakupović opened the match prioritizing placement over power, but Mercado made him pay, coming up with multiple early stops. The Orlando keeper broke the deadlock with a slow roller past Jakupović, followed by another goal before the Chattanooga FC veteran could find the net.
Mercado sealed his victory in dramatic fashion, scoring the two-point bonus ball at the buzzer to clinch his spot in the final with a 4-1 scoreline.
After a well-earned break, Cruz and Mercado squared off in the 2025 MLS NEXT Pro Goalie Wars Final.
Mercado continued to attack the bottom corners during the final and Cruz stuck to his lethal cross body kick that got him to the final round. After some back and forth, it was the Brazilian goalkeeper that came out on top winning by a close 4-3 margin.
Social media sensation IShowSpeed was at hand to present the MLS NEXT Pro Goalie Wars belt to Pedro Cruz, who thanked his family back in Brazil for all the support they've given him over the years.
Next up is the 2025 MLS All-Star game, where former MLS NEXT Pro alumni Alex Freeman, Diego Luna and Max Arfsten will take the field at Q2 Stadium and face off against the Liga MX All-Stars.
Catch the game on MLS Season Pass on Wednesday, July 22 at 9PM ET.
