LAFC star Diego Rossi has emerged from a stellar individual season as the top goal-scorer in MLS, and the winner of the 2020 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi.
Following LAFC's Decision Day presented by AT&T, Rossi finishes atop the pack with 14 goals from 19 appearances. It's the second straight season an LAFC standout has taken home the honors, after Rossi's teammate Carlos Vela won the award with his record-breaking 34-goal campaign of 2019.
Rossi was followed by Columbus Crew SC's Gyasi Zardes, Chicago Fire FC's Robert Beric and the Seattle Sounders' Raul Ruidiaz with 12 goals each. The other players to hit double-digit goals in 2020 were the LA Galaxy's Cristian Pavon, Orlando City SC's Chris Mueller and Seattle's Jordan Morris, who each scored 10.
Rossi's Golden Boot-winning season
Rossi joins the pantheon of players to win the Golden Boot, which has been awarded since the league's inaugural season in 1996.
From 1996-2004, it was awarded under a points-based system that gave two points for a goal and one for an assist, before switching to outright goals. Check out the full list of Golden Boot winners below.
MLS Golden Boot Winners 1996-2004 (points-based system)
Year |
Player |
Club |
Points |
1996 |
Roy Lassiter |
Tampa Bay Mutiny |
58 |
1997 |
Preki |
Kansas City Wizards |
41 |
1998 |
Stern John |
Columbus Crew |
57 |
1999 |
Jason Kreis |
Dallas Burn |
51 |
2000 |
Mamadou Diallo |
Tampa Bay Mutiny |
<span style="color: rgb(32, 33, 34); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-center; background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250);">56</span> |
2001 |
Alex Pineda Chacón |
Miami Fusion |
<span style="color: rgb(32, 33, 34); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-center; background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250);">47</span> |
2002 |
Taylor Twellman |
New England Revolution |
<span style="color: rgb(32, 33, 34); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-center; background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250);">52</span> |
2003 |
Preki |
Kansas City Wizards |
<span style="color: rgb(32, 33, 34); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-center; background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250);">41</span> |
2004 |
<p>Amado Guevara</p><p>Pat Noonan</p> |
<p>MetroStars</p><p>New England Revolution</p> |
30 |
MLS Golden Boot Winners 2005-2020 (outright goals)
Year |
Player |
Club |
Goals |
2005 |
Taylor Twellman |
New England Revolution |
17 |
2006 |
Jeff Cunningham |
Real Salt Lake |
16 |
2007 |
Luciano Emilio |
D.C. United |
20 |
2008 |
Landon Donovan |
Los Angeles Galaxy |
20 |
2009 |
Jeff Cunningham |
FC Dallas |
17 |
2010 |
Chris Wondolowski |
San Jose Earthquakes |
18 |
2011 |
Dwayne De Rosario |
D.C. United |
16 |
2012 |
Chris Wondolowski |
San Jose Earthquakes |
27 |
2013 |
Camilo Sanvezzo |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
22 |
2014 |
Bradley Wright-Phillips |
New York Red Bulls |
27 |
2015 |
Sebastian Giovinco |
Toronto FC |
22 |
2016 |
Bradley Wright-Phillips |
New York Red Bulls |
24 |
2017 |
Nemanja Nikolić |
Chicago Fire |
24 |
2018 |
Josef Martínez |
Atlanta United |
31 |
2019 |
Carlos Vela |
LAFC |
34 |
2020 |
Diego Rossi |
LAFC |
14 |
