Golden Boot

LAFC's Diego Rossi wins the 2020 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi

Awards - 2020 - Golden Boot - Rossi

LAFC star Diego Rossi has emerged from a stellar individual season as the top goal-scorer in MLS, and the winner of the 2020 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi.


Following LAFC's Decision Day presented by AT&T, Rossi finishes atop the pack with 14 goals from 19 appearances. It's the second straight season an LAFC standout has taken home the honors, after Rossi's teammate Carlos Vela won the award with his record-breaking 34-goal campaign of 2019.


Rossi was followed by Columbus Crew SC's Gyasi ZardesChicago Fire FC's Robert Beric and the Seattle SoundersRaul Ruidiaz with 12 goals each. The other players to hit double-digit goals in 2020 were the LA Galaxy's Cristian PavonOrlando City SC's Chris Mueller and Seattle's Jordan Morris, who each scored 10.


Rossi's Golden Boot-winning season

Rossi joins the pantheon of players to win the Golden Boot, which has been awarded since the league's inaugural season in 1996.


From 1996-2004, it was awarded under a points-based system that gave two points for a goal and one for an assist, before switching to outright goals. Check out the full list of Golden Boot winners below.


MLS Golden Boot Winners 1996-2004 (points-based system)

Year
Player
Club
Points
1996
Roy Lassiter
Tampa Bay Mutiny
58
1997
Preki 
Kansas City Wizards
41
1998
Stern John
Columbus Crew
57
1999
Jason Kreis
Dallas Burn
51
2000
Mamadou Diallo
Tampa Bay Mutiny
<span style="color: rgb(32, 33, 34); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-center; background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250);">56</span>
2001
Alex Pineda Chacón
Miami Fusion
<span style="color: rgb(32, 33, 34); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-center; background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250);">47</span>
2002
Taylor Twellman
New England Revolution
<span style="color: rgb(32, 33, 34); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-center; background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250);">52</span>
2003
Preki
Kansas City Wizards
<span style="color: rgb(32, 33, 34); font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 14px; text-align: -webkit-center; background-color: rgb(248, 249, 250);">41</span>
2004
<p>Amado Guevara</p><p>Pat Noonan</p>
<p>MetroStars</p><p>New England Revolution</p>
30

MLS Golden Boot Winners 2005-2020 (outright goals)

Year
Player
Club&nbsp;
Goals
2005
Taylor Twellman
New England Revolution
17
2006
Jeff Cunningham
Real Salt Lake
16
2007
Luciano Emilio
D.C. United
20
2008
Landon Donovan
Los Angeles Galaxy
20
2009
Jeff Cunningham
FC Dallas
17
2010
Chris Wondolowski
San Jose Earthquakes
18
2011
Dwayne De Rosario
D.C. United
16
2012
Chris Wondolowski
San Jose Earthquakes
27
2013
Camilo Sanvezzo
Vancouver Whitecaps FC
22
2014
Bradley Wright-Phillips
New York Red Bulls
27
2015
Sebastian Giovinco
Toronto FC
22
2016
Bradley Wright-Phillips
New York Red Bulls
24
2017
Nemanja Nikolić
Chicago Fire
24
2018
Josef Martínez
Atlanta United
31
2019
Carlos Vela
LAFC
34
2020
Diego Rossi
LAFC
14