With just a handful of games left in the MLS regular season, it's shaping up to be a thrilling battle on various fronts.
League leaders Philadelphia Union face competition from Inter Miami, Vancouver Whitecaps and several other teams for the Supporters' Shield, while a multitude of teams are fighting for the final play-off positions.
Moreover, the competition for the Golden Boot is heating up, with a number of players vying to finish atop the scoring leaderboard. Today, we're taking a deep look at the race for the top scorer honours.
Who is going head-to-head with Lionel Messi for the MLS Golden Boot in 2025?
Dejan Jovelji (17 goals)
It has been a dismal season for Sporting Kansas City, who have lost seven of their last eight and boast the second-worst record in the West. However, one player who hasn't disappointed is Dejan Jovelji.
One year after leading LA Galaxy to the MLS Cup, the Serbian striker has chipped in with 17 goals and still has time to reach last year's 21-goal regular season tally.
However, with SKC eliminated from the playoffs, Jovelji might have a job on his hands invigorating a team that is limping towards the finish line.
After bagging a brace versus Colorado and a penalty against Austin, Jovelji has been rested in SKC's last two matches with Salt Lake and Vancouver. He'll be looking to bounce back with a trip to his old stomping ground in LA before travelling to Minnesota and hosting Houston.
Dejan Joveljic Extends LA Galaxy MLS Cup Lead to 2-0 - YouTube
Alonso Martnez (17 goals)
Unlike Jovelji, Alonso Martnez has four games left: Inter Miami (H), New York Red Bulls (A), Philadelphia (A), Seattle Sounders (H). Additionally, Martnez is playing for a team that is playing high-quality soccer right now.
The Costa Rican scored two penalties in the weekend's 2-0 win, helping New York City FC put an end to Charlotte's nine-match winning streak and qualify for the playoffs and taking his individual tally to 17 goals.
NYCFC have ascended to fourth place in the East after winning six of their last seven, and they'll be counting on Martnez as they look to build on their momentum into the postseason.
After bagging a hat-trick vs. Dallas in July and scoring in four straight matches in August, Martnez was kept under wraps vs. DC before scoring in Chicago. He then blanked vs. Columbus and scored vs. Charlotte, and he'll be looking to lead his side past a Messi-inspired Miami.
Evander (17 goals)
Whilst there's currently a six-way tie for seventh place (16 goals), there's also a three-way tie for fourth between Martnez, Jovelji and Evander.
After two years at Portland Timbers, FC Cincinnati signed Evander in exchange for $12 million and up to $150,000 in conditional performance-based incentives.
He's quickly repaid the investment with 17 goals as well as 12 assists, second only to San Diego's Anders Dreyer (16). The Brazilian has spearheaded Cincinnati to second place in MLS, two points behind Philly, and he'll be crucial for a challenging home run that sees them host Orlando and travel to New Jersey to face the Red Bulls, before taking on Montral.
With one goal and four assists in his last two matches, Evander is demonstrating why he is one of the top players in MLS this year, leading Cincy's fight for their second Supporters' Shield title in three years.
Sam Surridge (21 goals)
Sometimes, all you need is a change of scenery to get the ball rolling. That's proven the case with Sam Surridge, who, after struggling to make an impact in English soccer, is staking a claim for MLS MVP with Nashville, who sit seventh in the East and are 90 minutes away from a first-ever trophy.
At 27 years of age, Surridge has emerged as Nashville's attacking talisman with a whopping 21 goals in league play, in addition to leading the league for Expected Goals (21.03).
After bagging a hat-trick in the U.S. Open Cup semifinal vs. Philly, Surridge will be looking to lead them to their first ever major trophy in next month's final vs. Austin.
The odds are in Surridge's favour, too, as he looks to continue his momentum during a final stretch which will see Nashville host Houston and Miami and travel to Montreal. And maybe, just maybe, he'll be the second English player to claim the Golden Boot after Bradley Wright-Phillips in 2014 and 2016.
Denis Bouanga (22 goals)
After spending the first decade of his professional career in France, Denis Bouanga has taken his game to another level in California and announced himself as one of the top players in MLS with 97 goals and 39 assists in 146 appearances for LAFC.
The Californians face St. Louis, Atlanta, Toronto (all eliminated from the playoffs) before travelling to Austin and Colorado before the end of the season.
Since moving to LA in 2022, the Gabon international has won the MLS Cup, the Supporters' Shield, and U.S. Open Cup, whilst also finishing as the top scorer in MLS and Concacaf Champions League. After scoring eight goals in his last four, he finds himself atop the scoring charts with 22 goals -- 16 more than any other LAFC player.
With Bouanga striking an impressive synergy with new arrival Heung-min Son, LAFC find themselves firing on all cylinders with three wins in-a-row - scoring four goals in each of them - and making their way to fourth in the West.
Lionel Messi (22 goals)
Whilst Surridge, Bouanga, and co. all have valid reasons to be in the conversation for the Golden Boot, there's absolutely no doubt that the frontrunner is Lionel Messi.
Even in the twilight years of his career, Messi is still indisputably the best player in North America and one of the best soccer players in the world alongside the likes of Ousmane Dembl and Lamine Yamal.
Despite not taking any penalties, the 38-year-old leads MLS for goal contributions (32) and sits atop the leaderboard with 22 goals alongside Bouanga.
Whilst Bouanga has five matches left, Messi has six: NYCFC (A), Toronto (A), Chicago (H), New England (H), Atlanta (H) and Nashville (A). Having scored three goals and two assists in his last two matches, there's every reason to believe that Messi will come away with the ninth Golden Boot of his career, having previously won eight Pichichi awards during his time with Barcelona.
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