MLS Goal Scoring Records


CARLOS VELA’S RECORD GOAL MOVING HIM UP THE CHARTS

With his 24th goal of the season last Saturday evening vs. Real Salt Lake, Carlos Vela set the MLS record for most combined goals and assists in a single MLS season. Along with his 15 assists on the season, Vela’s 39 combined goals and assists is now one ahead of the total set by Sebastian Giovinco of Toronto FC in 2015, when he first set the mark with 38 total goals and assists (22 goals, 16 assists).

With nine games still to be played this season, Vela is already tied for the seventh-most goals in a single season in MLS history, now seven goals behind the total of Josef Martínez of Atlanta United, who set the all-time record with his 31 goals last season.

MOST GOALS, SINGLE SEASON
Year
Player
Team
Games
Goals

2018
Josef Martinez
ATL
34
31

1996
Roy Lassiter
TB
30
27

2012
Chris Wondolowski
SJ
32
27

2014
Bradley Wright-Phillips
NYR
32
27

1998
Stern John
CLB
27
26

2000
Mamadou Diallo
TB
28
26

2002
Carlos Ruiz
LA
26
24

2016
Bradley Wright-Phillips
NYR
34
24

2017
Nemanja Nikolic
CHI
34
24

2019
Carlos Vela
LFC
24
24


At about the same time as Vela scored his 24th goal last Saturday, Zlatan Ibrahimović netted his second goal of the game in the LA Galaxy’s 2-2 draw with Seattle Sounders FC. The goals were No. 19 and No. 20 this season for Ibrahimović, following his 22-goal season a year ago in his first MLS campaign.

Ibrahimović became the third player in MLS history to record 20 goals or more in consecutive seasons, and the second to achieve it this year, after Josef Martínez reached the 20-goal mark a week ago, following his 31-goal campaign last year.

It’s the sixth time in MLS history there have been a trio of 20-goal scorers in a single season – the third consecutive year, and fourth time in the last five seasons. After seeing three 20-goal men in the inaugural season of 1996, MLS went another 18 seasons before it happened again, in 2013.

20-GOAL SCORERS IN SEASON
2019
Carlos Vela
24
Josef Martinez
21
Zlatan Ibrahimović
20

2018
Josef Martinez
31
Zlatan Ibrahimović
22
Bradley Wright-Phillips
20

2017
Nemanja Nikolic
24
David Villa
22
Diego Valeri
21

2015
Sebastian Giovinco
22
Kei Kamara
22
Robbie Keane
20

2013
Camilo Sanvezzo
22
Mike Magee
21
Marco Di Vaio
20

1996
Roy Lassiter
27
Raul Diaz Arce
23
Eduardo Hurtado
21