The 15 best goal-scoring seasons in MLS history

Lionel Messi will embark on his first full MLS season next year but he will have some way to go if he is to break the all-time goal-scoring record in a single season. Here are the 15 best goal-scoring seasons in MLS history.

Los Angeles Football Club v Vancouver Whitecaps FC - CONCACAF Champions League: Quarterfinal - Leg 1 / Christopher Morris - Corbis/GettyImages

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2. Josef Martinez — 2018 — 31 goals

Josef Martinez set a record by scoring 31 goals in 24 MLS games for Atlanta United as they won MLS Cup in 2018. He scored three hat-tricks during this campaign against the Vancouver Whitecaps, Philadelphia Union and D.C. United.

The Venezuelan also scored in the MLS All-Star game that year which finished 1-1 against Juventus. He was also voted MVP for this match.

Martinez scored a further four goals during the playoffs. This included a one in the 2-0 victory over the Portland Timbers in the final.

3. Zlatan Ibrahimovic — 2019 — 30 goals

Zlatan Ibrahimovic finished second to Carlos Vela in the goalscoring charts in 2019 but he still makes the list with his impressive 30 goals in 29 MLS games for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Ibrahimovic who was now the captian of LA Galaxy netted two hat-tricks that year. One was in a 3-2 El Traffico derby win over Los Angeles FC and the other was against Sporting Kansas City.

However, the Galaxy lost in the playoffs to LAFC and Ibrahimovic returned to AC Milan at the end of the season. Ibrahimovic may not have won anything during his time in MLS but he will be remembered as one of biggest characters to have graced the league.

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