The 2024 Major League Soccer (MLS) season is heating up and all eyes are on Lionel Messi as he aims for the prestigious Golden Boot award.
The honor goes to the league’s top scorer with assists serving as the tiebreaker if players are tied on goals. This year Messi is making a significant impact in his first full season, with Inter Miami dazzling fans and breaking records along the way.
In a memorable 6-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls in May, Messi set new MLS records for the most goal contributions in a single game, with six and most assists in a game, with five.
His creative brilliance is also boosting his teammate Luis Suarez, who is also among the top scorers this season.
As Messi navigates the challenges of the demanding MLS season, the competition for the Golden Boot remains wide open.
MLS Top Goal Scorers 2024- Updated Golden Boot Race Ranking
As of July 22, 2024, the race for the Golden Boot is fiercely competitive. Here’s a look at the current top goal scorers:
| Rank | Player | Club | Goals (PKs) | Assists | Games | Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Cristian Arango | Real Salt Lake | 17 (2) | 11 | 23 | 1857 |
| 2. | Denis Bouanga | LAFC | 16 (7) | 9 | 24 | 2143 |
| Christian Benteke | D.C. United | 16 (2) | 4 | 21 | 1825 | |
| 4. | Daniel Gazdag | Philadelphia | 14 (4) | 2 | 21 | 1780 |
| 5. | Andres Gomez | Real Salt Lake | 13 (0) | 9 | 23 | 1815 |
| Cucho | Columbus Crew | 13 (1) | 8 | 18 | 1498 | |
| Mateusz Bogusz | LAFC | 13 (0) | 6 | 24 | 2032 | |
| Petar Musa | Dallas | 13 (1) | 2 | 23 | 1835 | |
| 9. | Dejan Joveljic | LA Galaxy | 12 (1) | 5 | 21 | 1481 |
| Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | 12 (1) | 13 | 12 | 1035 | |
| Luiz Suarez | Inter Miami | 12 (0) | 6 | 18 | 1275 | |
| Jonathan Rodriguez | Portland | 12 (1) | 6 | 21 | 1798 | |
| Lewis Morgan | NYRB | 12 (1) | 4 | 21 | 1700 | |
| Brian White | Vancouver | 12 (0) | 2 | 23 | 1915 |
ALSO READ: Big Names Absent from the Paris 2024 Olympics
List of Previous MLS Golden Boot Winners
Here’s a look at the past winners of the MLS Golden Boot:
| Year | Player | Team | Goals |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Denis Bouanga | LAFC | 20 |
| 2022 | Hany Mukhtar | Nashville SC | 23 |
| 2021 | Valentin Castellanos | NYCFC | 19 |
| 2020* | Diego Rossi | LAFC | 14 |
| 2019 | Carlos Vela | LAFC | 34 |
| 2018 | Josef Martinez | Atlanta United | 31 |
| 2017 | Nemanja Nikolic | Chicago Fire | 24 |
| 2016 | Bradley Wright-Phillips | NY Red Bulls | 24 |
| 2015 | Sebastian Giovinco | Toronto FC | 22 |
| 2014 | Bradley Wright-Phillips | NY Red Bulls | 27 |
| 2013 | Camilo Sanvezzo | Vancouver | 22 |
| 2012 | Chris Wondolowski | SJ Earthquakes | 27 |
| 2011 | Dwayne De Rosario | D.C. United | 16 |
| 2010 | Chris Wondolowski | SJ Earthquakes | 18 |
| 2009 | Jeff Cunningham | FC Dallas | 17 |
| 2008 | Landon Donovan | LA Galaxy | 20 |
| 2007 | Luciano Emilio | D.C. United | 20 |
| 2006 | Jeff Cunningham | Real Salt Lake | 16 |
| 2005 | Taylor Twellman | NE Revolution | 17 |
FAQs
Q. Who is currently leading the race for the 2024 MLS Golden Boot?
A. Christian Benteke is leading the 2024 MLS Golden Boot race with 23 goals.
Q. How many goals has Lionel Messi scored in his debut MLS season?
A. Lionel Messi scored 1 goal in his debut MLS season.
Q. Which MLS player has the most assists this season?
A. Luciano Acosta has the most assists this season with 16 assists.
Q. Which MLS player has the most Golden Boot awards?
A. Bradley Wright-Phillips, Chris Wondolowski, Jeff Cunningham, Taylor Twellman, and Preki have joint most Golden Boot awards winning this award twice.