Nemanja Nikolic has had a roaring start in MLS since signing with the Chicago Fire in December, scoring 10 goals in his first 11 games to surge into first place on the league scoring charts.
But does the Hungarian internationalās frenetic finishing pace rank as the hottest-ever start to an MLS career?
Not so fast. Statistics provided by the Elias Sports Bureau in the wake of Nikolicās two-goal outing vs. Colorado on Wednesday show that while Nikolicās rapid takeoff puts him among elite company, heās not quite No. 1 all-time.
That honor is shared by two of the most illustrious strikers of the leagueās first decade, Mamadou āBig Mamaā Diallo and Carlos āEl Pescaditoā Ruiz, both of whom needed only 10 games to hit double digits in their first seasons in MLS.
Nikolicās 10 from 11 stands alongside Didier Drogba and Eduardo āEl Tanqueā Hurtado in second place, followed closely by the likes of Jermain Defoe, Taylor Twellman and a cavalcade of other famed MLS finishers. Here's the top 10:
- Mamadou Diallo - 10 goals in 10 games
- Carlos Ruiz - 10 in 10
- Didier Drogba - 10 in 11
- Eduardo Hurtado - 10 in 11
- Nemanja Nikolic - 10 in 11
- Jermain Defoe - 10 in 12
- Taylor Twellman - 10 in 12
- Juan Pablo Angel - 10 in 13
- Joe-Max Moore - 10 in 13
- Giovanni Savarese - 10 in 13
Want to learn more? FourFourTwo USA produced a detailed rundown of the top tier of this list here.
Nikolic and the Fire return to action with a visit to D.C. United on Saturday (4 pm ET | UniMas, Facebook.com in US, MLS LIVE in Canada).