MLS Golden Boot Race: Who is the Favorite to Win in 2025?

Matchday 35 saw big games from Denis Bouanga and Lionel Messi in the race for the MLS goalscoring title.

Denis Bouanga and Lionel Messi are tied at 22 goals in the race for the 2025 MLS Golden Boot. / Chris Gardner/Getty Images and Megan Briggs/Getty Images

It’s going to come down to the wire. 

The race for the 2025 MLS Golden Boot made significant strides on Matchday 35, with Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and LAFC’s Denis Bouanga each putting up multiple-goal games, while Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge didn't hang far behind. 

Last season, 23 goals were enough for D.C. United’s Christian Benteke took home Golden Boot honours, but it looks like it will take significantly more to top the scoring charts in 2025. 

Should players tie for goals scored come the end of the regular season on Oct. 18, the player with the most assists will take the honor. If they are tied after that, it will go to the player with the fewest minutes played. 

How might it play out? Here’s how things stack up. 

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1. Lionel Messi - Inter Miami

Lionel Messi scored twice over the weekend overtaking Sam Surridge for the Golden Boot lead. / Megan Briggs/Getty Images

• Goals: 22
• Assists: 12
• Games Remaining: 6

Lionel Messi scored a brace against D.C. United on Matchday 35, taking the outright lead in the Golden Boot race before Denis Bouanga showed up for LAFC on Sunday night. Messi has 22 goals and 12 assists in just 1880 minutes. 

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2. Denis Bouanga - LAFC

Denis Bouanga scored his 94th goal for LAFC on Wednesday. / Chris Gardner/Getty Images

• Goals: 22
• Assists: 8
• Games Remaining: 5

Denis Bouanga scored four goals this week in two 4–1 wins over Real Salt Lake. With that, he overtook Carlos Vela as LAFC’s all-time leading scorer, as he continues to seek a second Golden Boot after winning in 2023. With Son Heung-min alongside him, he’s certainly got a good chance. 

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3. Sam Surridge - Nashville SC

Sam Surridge relinquished the Golden Boot lead over the weekend. / Andrew Nelles / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

• Goals: 21
• Assists: 5
• Games Remaining: 3

Sam Surridge has been the Golden Boot leader for a lot of the season, but failed to score in their most recent 3–2 loss to Orlando City SC. Unfortunately for him, his goals in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal won’t count. 

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4. Evander - FC Cincinnati

Evander needs a big end to the season to catch those above him. / Troy Wayrynen-Imagn Images

• Goals: 17
• Assists: 13
• Games Remaining: 3

Evander has been the star FC Cincinnati needed, and he has been the linchpin to their success. Though, perhaps the Golden Boot is too farfetched at this point in the season given the gap between him and those above him.

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5. Alonso Martínez - New York City FC

Alonso Martínez has been more than reliable for NYCFC this season. / Mark Smith-Imagn Images

• Goals: 17
• Assists: 2
• Games Remaining: 4

Martínez has been a reliable goalscorer for NYCFC over the last few seasons, and he could have been higher on this list if DP midfielder Nicolás Fernández Mercau had been in the team from the start of the season. 

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MLS Golden Boot Standings as of Sept. 21, 2025

Name (Club)	Goals	Assists
Denis Bouanga (LAFC)	22	8
Lionel Messi (MIA)	22	12
Sam Surridge (NSH)	21	5
Evander (CIN)	17	13
Alonso Martínez (NYCFC)	17	2
Dejan Joveljič (SKC)	17	2
Martín Ojeda (ORL)	16	14
Petar Musa (DAL)	16	6
Diego Rossi (CLB)	16	4
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting (RBNY)	16	3
Hugo Cuypers (CHI)	16	2
Tai Baribo (PHI)	16	3
Hany Mukhtar (NSH)	15	11
Anders Dreyer (SD)	15	18
Danny Musovski (SEA)	14	4

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