With the MLS regular season winding down, the playoff race is in full swing. But there are still several players competing to finish 2023 as the league’s top scorer. For fans, placing a wager on the league’s leading scorer is one of several ways to bet on MLS. In fact, most American online sportsbooks are still accepting odds on what player will lead MLS in goals this season. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at some of the top MLS goal scorers thus far in the 2023 season.
Hany Mukhtar, Nashville SC (15)
Mukhtar won the MLS scoring title and league MVP honors last season and has been one of the league’s best attacking players since joining Nashville in 2020. He’s unlikely to match the 23 goals he had last season. But Mukhtar is still the co-leader in goals and largely considered the betting favorite to finish 2023 with the most goals in MLS.
Luciano Acosta, FC Cincinnati (15)
Acosta has been a huge difference-maker for FC Cincinnati over the last few years. Two years ago, the Orange and Blue were one of the worst teams in the league. This year, largely thanks to Acosta’s 15 goals, FC Cincinnati is the team to beat. At this point, there’s no reason to think Acosta will stop scoring goals.
Georgios Giakoumakis, Atlanta United FC (15)
Atlanta has one of the most potent attacks in MLS with Giakoumakis being a huge part of that. In his MLS debut, the Greek international has scored 15 goals in 24 appearances, which is fewer games than Mukhtar and Acosta have needed to reach 15 goals. With Giakoumakis playing alongside MLS assist leader Thiago Almada, the goals are likely to keep coming for him and Atlanta.
Denis Bouanga, LAFC (14)
After scoring just one goal in seven appearances for LAFC last season, Bouanga has taken the league by storm in 2023. The Gabon international has been a perfect fit for the Falcons and is the best attacking player in the Western Conference. Bouanga has become yet another example of how quickly MLS players can emerge from obscurity to become stars and still has a chance to lead the league in goals in 2023.
Photo credit: Alamy