The prestigious honor of being awarded the Golden Boot is handed out to the top scorer in the MLS. Some of the biggest names to have played in the competition have got their hands on the accolade, including Carlos Vela, Josef Martinez, and Sebastian Giovinco. 
The race for the Golden Boot this season will make for compelling viewing with an excellent array of attacking quality on show in the MLS. But, which forwards could be in the reckoning for the accolade?
Lionel Messi
Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi is the top choice in the betting to win the Golden Boot in 2025. Despite that, the world-renowned superstar has scored just four times in seven league matches this season. Messi ended the previous season with 21 goals in 22 matches.
However, he feel one short of the tally set by Christian Benteke. Messi has averaged 4.9 shots per game in the competition so far this season, and he has added two assists for good measure. With Inter Miami standing an increased chance of winning the MLS Cup, Messi is likely to be a major player in the race for the Golden Boot.
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Christian Benteke
Scoring goals in the MLS has come as second nature for Christian Benteke. The Belgian striker ended the previous campaign with 23 goals in 30 matches, which saw him pick up the Golden Boot, despite playing for an underperforming DX United. However, Benteke will be looking to accomplish a fear that hasn’t been achieved in modern history and win back-to-back Golden Boots.
The former Premier League striker has already made an excellent start to the 2025 season, scoring six goals in ten matches. The forward has accumulated that tally following an average of 4.2 shots per 90 for United. Based on his scoring tallies in the MLS, he will be hard to right off in his bid to win back-to-back Golden Boots.
Cristian Arango
It has been a fine start to the 2025 season for the San Jose Earthquakes, and one of the main reasons for that has been due to the form of Cristian Arango. The 30-year-old striker signed for the Earthquakes in 2025 after scoring 23 goals in 45 appearances for Real Salt Lake last season.
He has already set a strong pace in the race for the Golden Boot this season after scoring seven goals, which is a league-high tally. The Colombian has averaged 4.2 shots per 90 in the competition this season, and he will be a key man if the Earthquakes are to achieve a playoff finish in the MLS.
Hugo Cuypers
There were huge expectations when Hugo Cuypers arrived at Chicago Fire for club-record fee in 2024. The striker enjoyed a prolific career across Europe before joining the Fire, scoring 22 goals in 28 appearances for Ergotelis and 33 goals in 57 matches for Gent.
Cuypers endured a mixed first season in the MLS last term, but he still managed to score ten goals in 31 appearances. He already looks on course to break that tally this term after already netting seven goals this season. The striker has achieved that tally of goals from an xG of 9.53, meaning that he will be expected to increase his accumulation of goals as the season progresses.
Brian White
Brian White has been one of the most exciting American strikers in the MLS this season. He was drafted in the first round of the 2018 draft by the New York Red Bulls, but he was handed limited opportunities throughout his stay with the club, scoring just 15 goals in 47 games.
However, he has found a perfect fit with the Vancouver Whitecaps. White joined the club in 2021, and he has scored at least ten goals in three of his four seasons with the franchise. He is already enjoying an excellent campaign this term after netting six goals in eight matches, and he is one of just four players to have netted a hat-trick in the MLS so far this season.
Emmanuel Latte Lath
Atlanta United will once again be a major contender in the chase for MLS Cup glory in 2025. Emmanuel Latte Lath signed for the club in 2025, ending his two-year stay with Middlesbrough after scoring 29 goals in 59 games.
The striker has quickly adjusted to life in the MLS, scoring five goals in his first six appearances in the competition. Lath has averaged just 2.5 shots per 90 in the MLS so far this season, while he has accumulated an xG of 5,37. The striker will be a key player for United in their hunt for a playoff spot, and he will likely be a leading contender for the Golden Boot if maintaining the form that he has started the season in.
