Forwards know that with goals come wins, and so the league’s top scorers will make an extra effort to find the back of the net.
Inter Miami, who return to league play sitting last in the Eastern Conference standings, will hope that Lionel Messi’s explosion from the Leagues Cup will translate to MLS action. The Argentine scored 10 goals in seven matches to begin life in the United States, and everyone is expecting him to keep that pace up.
Messi would provide hope for a challenge to those topping the list, with a goal off the bench in his MLS debut against the New York Red Bulls, the first MLS goal of his career. He hasn’t scored since as he struggles with injury, but he did bag two assists against defending champions LAFC in a big 3-1 win.
It’s been a down year for goal scorers in Major League Soccer, with Hany Mukhtar leading the league on just 15 goals through 28 matches. Muhktar has been leading most of the way, but he’s been caught at the top by Luciano Acosta, who continues to dazzle for Supporters’ Shield leaders FC Cincinnati, and Atlanta United frontman Giorgos Giakoumakis.
Aside from the COVID-shortened 2020 season, the league has seen its Golden Boot winner score at least 19 goals in each of the past 12 years.
While he’s not topping the goal scoring charts, Atlanta United youngster Thiago Almada is near the top of the league in goal contributions, having bagged 10 goals and added another 16 assists. Those 26 combined goals and assists are second in MLS, one back of the aforementioned Acosta.
Another oddity also stands out, this being from the penalty spot. Philadelphia Union forward Daniel Gazdag has scored 13 goals this year, but only two are from open play, while the other 11 have come from the spot. That sets a new record for most penalties by one player in an MLS season, breaking the previous mark of nine.
MORE: Odds for Lionel Messi to score a goal in Inter Miami’s next match
MLS Top Scorers list for 2023 season
The Sporting News will be updating the table below during every matchday of the 2023 MLS season through to the final regular season matches on October 21, 2023.
Updated as of Thursday, September 28, 2023.
Rank
Player
Club
Goals (PKs)
Assists
Matches
Mins
1.
Hany Mukhtar
Nashville SC
15 (5)
9
29
2,386
Luciano Acosta
FC Cincinnati
15 (6)
12
28
2,312
Giorgos Giakoumakis
Atlanta United
15 (0)
3
24
1,552
4.
Denis Bouanga
LAFC
14 (2)
6
27
2,188
5.
Alan Pulido
Sporting KC
13 (3)
3
25
1,956
Cucho Hernandez
Houston Dynamo
13 (4)
11
23
2,013
Daniel Gazdag
Philadelphia
13 (11)
10
28
2,418
Cristian Benteke
DC United
13 (1)
4
29
2,609
Brian White
Vancouver
13 (0)
5
28
2,195
9.
Christian Espinoza
SJ Earthquakes
12 (4)
11
31
2,768
Julian Carranza
Philadelphia
12 (0)
5
27
2,176
Facundo Torres
Orlando City
12 (5)
4
27
2,156
Jesus Ferreira
FC Dallas
12 (1)
4
23
1,906
13.
Nicholas Gioacchini
St. Louis City
10 (1)
1
29
1,930
Lucas Zelarayan
Columbus Crew
10 (2)
7
20
1,707
Jordan Morris
Seattle Sounders
10 (0)
1
23
1,723
Ryan Gauld
Vancouver
10 (4)
10
28
2,284
Sebastian Driussi
Austin FC
10 (2)
3
25
2,062
Thiago Almada
Atlanta United
10 (1)
16
28
2,499
There have also been 39 own goals scored during the 2023 MLS season:
Atlanta United (1): Juan Purata
Austin FC (1): Emiliano Rigoni
FC Cincinnati (2): Dominique Badji, Roman Celentano
Charlotte FC (2): Kristijan Kahlina, Bill Tuiloma
Chicago Fire (2): Maren Haile-Selassie, Carlos Teran
Columbus Crew (1): Milos Degenek
DC United (1): Brendan Hines-Ike
FC Dallas (3): Paul Arriola, Sam Junqua, Nolan Norris
Houston Dynamo (1): Erik Sviatchenko
Inter Miami (3): Christopher McVey, Kamal Miller, David Ruiz
LA Galaxy (1): Calegari
CF Montreal (2): Gabriele Corbo, Joel Waterman
Nashville SC (1): Jack Maher
New England Revolution (1): Andrew Farrell
New York Red Bulls (2): Andres Reyes (x2)
NYCFC (1): Richard Ledezma
Orlando City SC (1): Robin Jansson
Philadelphia Union (3): Jakob Glesnes, Nathan Harriel, Oliver Mbazio
Portland Timbers (3): Diego Chara, Larrys Mabiala, Zack McGraw
Real Salt Lake (1): Justen Glad
Seattle Sounders (2): Stefan Frei, Yeimar Gomez
St. Louis City SC (1): Jake Nerwinski
Toronto FC (2): Aime Mabika, Lucas MacNaughton
Vancouver Whitecaps (1): Tristan Blackmon
Odds to win MLS Golden Boot 2023
Some sports books had once installed Lionel Messi as the favorite to win the league’s Golden Boot award, but sitting on just one league goal still, the odds have been reconfigured to a more realistic reflection of his situation.
Inter Miami have just six games left in the regular season, and Messi is likely to miss a few of those for international duty and rest, meaning he’s almost surely out of the running.
Current leader and reigning Golden Boot winner Hany Mukhtar sports the lowest odds, while the likes of Denis Bouanga, Luciano Acosta, and Georgios Giakoumakis are right behind.
Odds as of Monday, September 25, 2023.
Hany
Mukhtar
Luciano
Acosta
Georgios
Giakoumakis
Denis
Bouanga
Christian
Benteke
Daniel
Gazdag
Cristian
Espinoza
Alan
Pulido
Carlos
Vela
BetMGM
(USA)
+350
+400
+400
+600
+1400
+1600
+2000
+2000
+3300
How many goals does Lionel Messi have in MLS?
Starting from zero with just 11 games remaining, Lionel Messi has a lot of catching up to do, but if Inter Miami are to make a historic run from the bottom of the Eastern Conference into a playoff position, they will need Messi to pour on the goals like he did in the Leagues Cup.
While Messi led Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup title with 10 goals in seven games, he has not lifted off with the same exuberance in Major League Soccer action. He scored off the bench in his MLS debut against the New York Red Bulls, but has been blanked since, while also dealing with fitness concerns. Yet he’s still contributing at a high level when on the field, producing two assists in the 3-1 victory over LAFC.
Messi MLS goals in 2023
Date
Match
Goals
Mins
Aug. 26
at NY Red Bulls
(W 0-2)
1
30
Aug. 30
vs. Nashville SC
(D 0-0)
0
90
Sep. 3
at LAFC
(W 3-1)
0
90
Sep. 9
vs. Sporting KC
—
DNP
Sep. 16
at Atlanta United
—
DNP
Sep. 20
vs. Toronto FC
0
37
Sep. 24
at Orlando City
—
DNP
Sep. 30
vs. NYCFC
Oct. 4
at Chicago Fire
Oct. 7
vs. FC Cincinnati
Oct. 21
at Charlotte FC
TOTAL
W-D-L: 2-1-0
1
247
Past MLS Golden Boot Winners
Prior to 2005, Major League Soccer used a point system to award its Scoring Champion, but since 2005 they have awarded a more traditional Golden Boot for the league’s top scorer.
Year
Player
Team
Goals
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
*2020 MLS season was shortened to 23 matches due to COVID-19 pandemic