Soccer <\/p>\n
Four matchdays into the 2025 season, an intriguing Golden Boot presented by Audi chase is taking shape. More than a few surprises have me thinking I made some mistakes with my preseason predictions!<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
You\u2019ll notice a common theme: We’ve got a real, actual strikers race.<\/p>\n
In recent seasons we’ve seen the likes of Denis Bouanga<\/a>, Carlos Vela and Hany Mukhtar<\/a> \u2013 excellent players who score from wide areas or roaming playmaker roles \u2013 claim the Golden Boot. This year, I’m seeing a lot of old-school strikers produce. That seems to have left the game for a while and it\u2019s good to see it return.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Tai Baribo<\/a> is the frontrunner with six goals in four games for Philadelphia<\/a> \u2013 all from just seven shots on target. That\u2019s an unbelievable scoring rate and probably isn\u2019t sustainable, given he\u2019s running well ahead of his expected goals total (4.04). But I still think he\u2019ll stay in this discussion for the long haul.<\/p>\n Why? It\u2019s the way he scores. Philly\u2019s system under new coach Bradley Carnell fits Baribo\u2019s skill set so well \u2013 it’s high-tempo football, looking to press and push forward as quickly as possible, create turnovers to win the ball and then be no-nonsense with it, delivering early service into dangerous areas. Wide players like Kai Wagner<\/a> and Quinn Sullivan<\/a> are putting in tremendous crosses, and Baribo\u2019s movement is both clever and efficient.<\/p>\n It speaks volumes that all six of Baribo\u2019s goals have been one-touch finishes from inside the penalty box. It just feels like on any given day, there’s a brace out there to be had for him. He will get chances as long as he’s fit, so I give him a really good chance at winning the Golden Boot.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n I\u2019m bullish on Hugo Cuypers<\/a>\u2019 chances of keeping pace.<\/p>\n The Chicago Fire<\/a>\u2019s No. 9 has bagged four goals, scoring in three of his team\u2019s first four matches, which tells me he\u2019s getting into a rhythm and taking his chances well. What interests me about Cuypers is that last season, he scored regularly (10g\/2a) even though Chicago struggled. Now they\u2019ve improved under Gregg Berhalter, winning more games and creating more opportunities for him.<\/p>\n Cuypers has Brian Guti\u00e9rrez<\/a>, Philip Zinckernagel<\/a> and Jonathan Bamba<\/a> \u2013 he\u2019s low-key been one of the best winter signings thus far \u2013 feeding him, and he\u2019s shown his well-roundedness with hold-up play. Most of all, and I say this as a compliment considering how many ugly goals I scored in my playing career, I see Cuypers scoring the scruffy sort of goals that you need. Those are no accident. He\u2019s consistently getting into the right areas and is second on the scoring chart as a result.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n A motley crew of eight players are tied for third on three goals apiece, and I don\u2019t see all of them staying in the race. One who will is Christian Benteke<\/a>, the reigning Golden Boot holder. He just keeps doing the business for undefeated D.C. United<\/a> and ranks tops in MLS with 5.19 xG, much like D.C. lead the league with 10.37 team xG.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s where I\u2019ll hold my hand up because I left Benteke out of my top five at the beginning of the season. That was only because I underestimated D.C. United. I thought they’d be worse than last season, if I’m being honest. I made a mistake there.<\/p>\n The big Belgian will keep scoring because \u2013 as those expected goals numbers show \u2013 he gets at least a chance or two every single game, whether it\u2019s one of those trademark Benteke headers, a one-v-one with a defender or a penalty kick. D.C. have learned how to play to his strengths with crosses from out wide \u2013 he\u2019s going to win just about 100% of those aerial battles \u2013 and passing combinations that make the most of his back-to-goal abilities.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Another great example is Vancouver<\/a>\u2019s Brian White<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n I\u2019m a big fan, partly because of what I observed when we were teammates with the New York Red Bulls<\/a>. The 2019 season was my last with RBNY and I was injured for most of it. Like every player does, I usually felt terrible when I couldn\u2019t play; it was like I was letting the team down. But the hugest compliment I could give White is that when I saw him play, I didn’t worry about the team anymore. He was so capable, even at a young age. He could hold the ball up, goal-poach and deal with pressure really well \u2013 nothing seemed to faze him.<\/p>\n Now, with his attacking partner Ryan Gauld<\/a> out injured for a few weeks, White has to figure out other ways to find his goals, be it striking up chemistry with Jayden Nelson<\/a>, Pedro Vite<\/a> or the Whitecaps\u2019 energetic fullbacks. I think he\u2019ll sort it out, especially with the guidance of new coach Jesper S\u00f8rensen.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2022 San Diego FC<\/a>\u2019s Anders Dreyer<\/a> has also been excellent for the expansion side with three goals in four games. As crucial as he\u2019ll be for his team this season, I don\u2019t see him sticking in the Golden Boot conversation. The Dane\u2019s game is about assists as much as finishing, perhaps even more so.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2022 I like what Colorado\u2019<\/a>s spearhead Rafa Navarro<\/a> brings to the table, but I worry about the Rapids\u2019 capacity to keep him fed. He\u2019s outperforming his expected goals (three goals scored on 2.7 xG) and has been limited to 10 shots, only four of them on target.<\/p>\n \u2022 Though he too is on three goals, Emmanuel Latte Lath<\/a>\u2019s stock has taken a hit. The Ivorian striker\u2019s God-given talent, speed and aerial ability will get him goals. But it seems Atlanta United<\/a> aren\u2019t using him as well as they could. If there\u2019s a clear plan to feed him good service with regularity, I\u2019m not fully seeing it at the moment.<\/p>\n \u2022 Jordan Morris<\/a> looked sharp and quick in the opening weeks, but hurt his hamstring as Seattle<\/a> crashed out of Concacaf Champions Cup<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2022 Minnesota United<\/a>\u2019s Kelvin Yeboah<\/a> has all the qualities needed to push into this race \u2013 he\u2019s got good feet, he’s a calm finisher and he can create shots for himself \u2013 yet he\u2019s been dealing with a hip issue that limited his minutes last week. It\u2019s very difficult to win this title if you\u2019re not starting week in, week out.<\/p>\n \u2022 Alonso Mart\u00ednez<\/a> will get goals for New York City FC<\/a>. He does most of his work between the lines of the 18-yard box and always wants to run in behind. He’s testing the back line and is a clean finisher. He had a breakout 2024 and is scoring goals at a steady rate early in the season. Keep an eye out for him.<\/p>\n \u2022 And then there\u2019s Lionel Messi<\/a>. If there\u2019s one person who can tear down the dreams of all of these strikers we just mentioned, it’s Inter Miami<\/a>\u2019s icon, who opened his 2025 MLS scoring account in Atlanta over the weekend but already has three in CCC play as well. If I was chasing the Golden Boot, it would be so frustrating because the man is so deadly.<\/p>\n You can think that he’s not fully fit, that he\u2019s being rested, he hasn’t played much \u2013 then he comes on and just makes the game look easy. His goals-to-game ratio is out of this world and I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s breaking hearts come the end of the season.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n