Who Will Claim MLS's Golden Boot Crown in 2026? Top Contenders Revealed
The 2026 MLS campaign is underway, bringing with it the competition for the 2026 MLS Golden Boot award, as top talents throughout the league vie to claim the honor in the competition's 31st year.
Coming off an MLS Cup victory with Inter Miami, Lionel Messi begins the campaign as the reigning titleholder, having found the net 29 times while providing 19 assists across 28 matches in 2025, recording the highest goal contribution total in a single campaign.
This campaign, he aims to match that standard with the chance to become the sixth player in history to claim the honor twice and the first since Bradley Wright-Phillips achieved this feat in 2014 and 2016 with Red Bull New York.
Here, Sports Illusrtated examines the top five candidates heading into the 2026 season.
5. Wessam Abou Ali (Columbus Crew)
Just five matches into his MLS journey with Columbus Crew, Wessam Abou Ali sustained a hairline fracture in his right ankle during a home fixture against Toronto FC on Sept. 20, 2025, ending his season prematurely. Now, following an offseason of healing and rehabilitation, he enters 2026 as a candidate for the MLS Golden Boot.
During his limited MLS appearance, the Palestine national team player netted three times in five outings and appeared to be the crucial component that playmaker Diego Rossi required to ignite the Crew's offensive play. His setback dampened some excitement surrounding his acquisition, but he now approaches the year as essentially a fresh signing under new head coach Henrik Rydström.
Numerous MLS supporters witnessed his attacking prowess during his performance at the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and his display against Inter Miami while with Al Ahly, but 2026 will now provide his first opportunity to pursue the Golden Boot, following a stint with the Egyptian club where he tallied 28 goals in 35 appearances.
4. Son Heung-min (LAFC)
Son Heung-min's MLS debut exceeded expectations, netting nine goals and contributing three assists in his initial 10 regular-season appearances with LAFC, before adding three goals and one assist across three MLS Cup playoff contests.
Though the South Korean star will operate in a somewhat modified system under new head coach Marc Dos Santos, the comprehension of offensive movements and tactics should remain relatively consistent with past successful campaigns. He'll once again partner with Denis Bouanga, and his midfield received reinforcement with the addition of Canadian international Stephen Eustáquio from FC Porto.
Son captured the Premier League's Golden Boot in 2021–22 while playing from a wide position, and now his more central role in Los Angeles will provide him the opportunity to expand his trophy collection.
3. Germán Berterame (Inter Miami)
Germán Berterame will present one of the most formidable challenges for defensive units throughout MLS this season. Following a record of 68 goals and 15 assists across 153 matches with Rayados de Monterrey in Liga MX, he begins his inaugural MLS campaign with substantial confidence and a physical presence that few other forwards possess.
Beyond his exceptional scoring history, he will frequently serve as the focal point for one of the globe's finest players, Messi, alongside several other crucial creators at Inter Miami.
At 27 years of age and contracted through the 2028–29 season, with an option for 2029–30, the inquiry shouldn't be if Berterame will capture an MLS Golden Boot, but instead how many he might claim and what records he could establish in the process.
2. Denis Bouanga (LAFC)
With the 2023 Golden Boot already in his possession, Denis Bouanga topped the Western Conference in scoring during 2025, finishing just five goals behind Lionel Messi for the overall Golden Boot championship. This season, he begins his first complete year alongside Son, after the pair demonstrated their exceptional chemistry during the latter portion of the 2025 campaign.
Unlike Messi, Son and others, Bouanga won't have World Cup commitments to manage this season, meaning he could approach the final phase of the campaign with greater rest, potentially enabling a late push toward the title.
Simultaneously, the prospect of Eustáquio playing a crucial role in elevating LAFC's attack to new heights could also prove decisive.
1. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
Lionel Messi has been a contender for Golden Boot recognition over the past two seasons, and in 2025 secured the award after scoring 29 times across 28 matches.
This season, the Argentine maestro will have additional offensive support as he teams up with a full campaign of Tadeo Allende, plus newly acquired David Ayala in midfield and striker Germán Berterame in attack.
At 38 years of age, the primary concern regarding his quest for consecutive Golden Boot victories will be his fitness and participation. Inter Miami is expected to compete in over 50 matches across all competitions this season, and it appears Messi will also feature prominently in Argentina's World Cup preparations. How much opportunity will he have to pursue history in MLS regular-season action?