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Voices: Bradley Wright-Phillips

Luis Suárez or serie a newsChristian Benteke? Inside the MLS Golden Boot race

Bradley Wright-Phillips

Winning an MLS Golden Boot requires three stages.

First, you need to start strong as the new season begins. If I wasn’t off the mark after two or three games, I worried that I was already out of the race. That's how dramatic it felt and the pressure I put on myself.

Second, I would measure where I stood at the All-Star break. You want to be on or around 14 goals. That’s a lot, but it ensures you’re in the race toward the end of the season.

Then, when games start winding down, you’re looking to score at least every other game. And when you’re in the playoff hunt, especially as a goalscorer, the Golden Boot race further motivates you. Those go hand in hand. It’s when you fully lock-in.

That brings us to the 2024 Golden Boot presented by Audi race, where four players have a realistic shot of winning the trophy every striker circles in preseason. If they say otherwise, they’re lying!

Christian Benteke (DC) - 19g/6a
Chicho Arango (RSL) - 17g/11a
Denis Bouanga (LAFC) - 17g/9a
Luis Suárez (MIA) - 17g/6a

(I’m also not writing off Lionel Messi. Who would doubt him?! He can do the superhuman.)

Suárez: Clinical & efficient

For me, Luis Suárez is the clear favorite and the reason is simple. He’s way more efficient than the other contenders and is on the league’s highest-scoring team.

If Suárez gets two chances, he’s scoring at least one. I can’t say the same for Benteke, Arango or Bouanga. They’re all fantastic players, but aren’t as clinical in front of goal.

Benteke, yes he’s in the lead. But he needs service and has a specific way of scoring that ebbs and flows. Arango, he’s simply not in form and hasn’t been the same since July. Arango winning would require a special turnaround. Bouanga, he’s the most exciting attacker on this list. But it’s so difficult to win back-to-back Golden Boots and LAFC are slumping lately.

Then there’s Suárez, who’s already been the top scorer in three other countries! Just think about that for a second; it’s incredible and shows his efficiency. We’ve seen Suárez win Golden Boots in the Netherlands with Ajax, in England with Liverpool and in Spain with Barcelona. Now he can add a fourth, and is one year removed from being named the Best Player and Best Striker in the Brazilian league with Grêmio.

Simply sensational… Suárez also has Messi back to combine with! I think he gets the job done, with 21 or 22 goals probably sealing the deal. El Pistolero has five games left and extra motivation as Miami chase the Supporters’ Shield and MLS single-season points record.

Memory lane

As the chase unfolds, I keep thinking of the Golden Boot races I was part of during my New York Red Bulls days. I was fortunate to win two and experienced them in very different ways.

The first was in 2014, and I honestly went into that season just trying to earn a starting spot. I was trying to prove myself and find my footing in MLS. Sure, I wanted a goal every other game. But I wasn’t thinking of being the league’s top goalscorer. Only towards the All-Star Game, I realized I was in the mix and had a chance.

So when I won the award with 27 goals in 32 games, outpacing Dom Dwyer from Sporting Kansas City, it was more of a prize or bonus. I also had Thierry Henry helping give me chances in what was ultimately his last professional season. I remember Thierry once saying in a post-game interview that he wanted to “feed the hot hand.” Knowing a legend of the game was looking to set me up, it was huge for a forward like myself who wanted to play on the shoulder and be dangerous in the box.

The second Golden Boot in 2016, the race was so intense. I got 25 goals in 34 games, beating David Villa at New York City FC by one… but it wasn’t easy. People in the media and fans were saying, “Oh, he won’t score because Henry’s not there anymore.” I put a lot of pressure on myself to prove the doubters wrong.

Then I’m competing against David Villa, one of the best strikers of his generation, across town. After I scored, I’d check to see how NYCFC did and surely David Villa was scoring. We went back and forth, so close. This might be hard to understand, but I honestly didn't enjoy any of my goals for the last half of the season. They were more a sigh of relief that I was keeping pace.

That year was also my second season playing with Sacha Kljestan in New York. He had 20 assists, only one of three players in league history to reach that mark. Sacha was unbelievable to play alongside. He wasn’t a traditional No. 10, but has a great understanding of spaces and final passes.

One part I’d be remiss not to mention: I'm still owed a Golden Boot! At the end of the season, it gets announced by the club and the league, then you have a ceremony of sorts. But I somehow only got the 2016 trophy. I never got the 2014 trophy. If someone reading this has any leads, you know where to find me!

Who will win this year? I'm backing Suárez climbing the leaderboard and winning on Decision Day. Let's hear your thoughts on #MLS360 or at @BWPNINENINE.

Bradley Wright-Phillips - @BWPNINENINE