Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Christian Benteke are among the familiar names lighting up Major League Soccer scoreboards to start the 2024 season, as Denis Bouanga’s quest to become the first back-to-back MLS Golden Boot winner in league history is fraught with competitors.
There are 14 different nations represented in the top-20 goal scorers to start the season, with one USMNT player in Vancouver Whitecaps star Brian White and no one else from a CONCACAF Nations. Yeah, the league’s changed a bit.
[ MORE: Latest on Lionel Messi’s 2024 season in MLS ]
Colombia’s Cristian Arango is leading the way with eight goals, while Messi’s right behind him with seven and four players including a pair of former Premier League stars are next with six.
Christian Benteke is filling the goal for DC United while Luis Suarez does the same alongside Messi at Inter Miami. Scottish winger Lewis Morgan and Serbian international Dejan Jovelic also have a half-dozen goals.
Below you can see the current 2024 MLS Golden Boot leaders, as well as all of the previous winners of the award.
MLS 2024 goal scoring leaders
Cristian Arango, Real Salt Lake — 8
Lionel Messi, Inter Miami — 7
Christian Benteke, DC United — 6
Dejan Jovelic, LA Galaxy — 6
Lewis Morgan, New York Red Bulls — 6
Luis Suarez, Inter Miami — 6
Denis Bouanga, LAFC — 5
Giorgos Giakoumakis, Atlanta United — 5
Julian Carranza, Philadelphia Union — 4
Evander, Portland Timbers — 4
Daniel Gazdag, Philadelphia Union — 4
Cucho Hernandez, Columbus Crew — 4
Felipe Mora, Portland Timbers — 4
Rafael Navarro, Colorado Rapids — 4
Prince Osei Owusu, Toronto FC — 4
Joseph Paintsil, LA Galaxy — 4
Raul Ruidiaz, Seattle Sounders — 4
Erik Thommy, Sporting KC — 4
Brian White, Vancouver Whitecaps — 4
Santiago Rodriguez, NYCFC — 4
MLS Golden Boot winners — Major League Soccer leading scorers by season
1996: Roy Lassiter, Tampa Bay Mutiny
1997: Preki, Kansas City Wizards
1998: Stern John, Columbus Crew
1999: Jason Kreis, Dallas Burn
2000: Mamadou Diallo, Tampa Bay Mutiny
2001: Alex Pineda Chacon, Miami Fusion
2002: Taylor Twellman, New England Revolution
2003: Preki, Kansas City Wizards
2004: Amado Guevera, NY/NJ MetroStars
Pat Noon, New England Revolution
2005: Taylor Twellman, New England Revolution
2006: Jeff Cunningham, Real Salt Lake
2007: Luciano Emilio, DC United
2008: Landon Donovan, LA Galaxy
2009: Jeff Cunningham, FC Dallas
2010: Chris Wondolowski, San Jose Earthquakes
2011: Dwayne De Rosario, DC United
2012: Chris Wondolowski, San Jose Earthquakes
2013: Camilo Sanvezzo, Vancouver Whitecaps
2014: Bradley Wright-Phillips, New York Red Bulls
2015: Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC
2016: Bradley Wright-Phillips, New York Red Bulls
2017: Nemanja Nikolic, Chicago Fire
2018: Josef Martinez, Atlanta United
2019: Carlos Vela, LAFC
2020: Diego Rossi, LAFC
2021: Taty Castellanos, NYCFC
2022: Hany Mukhtar, Nashville SC
2023: Denis Bouanga, LAFC
