Who has won the MLS Golden Boot? Denis Bouanga scoops scorers’ award

There was great drama across MLS for Decision Day 2023, bringing to a close a thrilling regular season campaign. The 18 teams progressing to the post-season have all been confirmed, as have details of the two Wild Card fixtures taking place next week.

Alongside the Conference standings, there was another season-long competition that was brought to a close on Saturday evening; the 2023 MLS Golden Boot.

LAFC forward Denis Bouanga scored in his side’s 1-1 draw with Vancouver Whitecaps to clinch the award for top scorer. Bouanga’s opener took his tally to the season to 20 goals, an impressive record for someone who rarely plays as a central striker.

We take a look at the 2023 MLS top scorers...

3. Cucho Hernandez - 15 goals

The Columbus Crew striker returned to the league this season and continued his extraordinary scoring record in MLS. Cucho Hernandez has been a key part of one of the league’s hottest attacking units and the statistics back up his value.

He sits in the 95th percentile for non-penalty xG, total shots, assists, expected assisted goals, shot creating actions, passes attempted, progressive passes, progressive carries, successful take-ons, touches in attacking penalty area and progressive passes received. Quite the season for the Colombian forward.

2. Luciano Acosta, Georgios Giakoumakis - 17 goals

FC Cincinnati are the 2023 Supporters’ Shield champions, and a lot of their success is down to Luciano Acosta who, with 17 goals and 14 assists, is just about the most lethal player MLS has to offer. His incredible numbers do not stop there, as Acosta also has over 4 progressive carries per game and more than three successful take-ons per 90.

Level with Acosta’s scoring tally is Georgios Giakoumakis. Of all the players to have scored 15 or more goals, Giakoumakis has by far the best goals-per-minute ratio, having played just 1791 across the season. He scored a final day brace to take his tally to 17 at the end of a deeply-impressive campaign.

1. Denis Bouanga - 20 goals

After a season of scintilating performances LAFC’s Denis Bouanga will take home the 2023 MLS Golden Boot award. The forward’s tally of 20 MLS goals was aided by a lightning-fast start to the campaign, in which he scored 10 goals in his first 12 games.

How many goals has Lionel Messi scored?

The Argentina captain, believe it or not, has managed just one goal in MLS this season, having only featured six times in the domestic competition. In all competitions for The Herons, he has 11 goals in 13 games.

He ranks very highly in other facets of the game and is in the 95th percentile or higher in ten different categories: shots, assists, expected assists, shot creating actions, xG+xA total, passes attempted, pass completion, progressive passes, progressive carries and successful take-ons.