Carlos Vela won the Golden Boot and broke the MLS record for goals in a single regular season on Sunday, as LAFC’s league campaign drew to a close.
![Video: Carlos Vela scores hat-trick and breaks all-time MLS goalscoring record 1 via MLSSoccer.com](/static/uploads/2019/09/lamoreaux-63-1024x440.jpg)
Vela had been competing with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Josef Martinez for the Golden Boot award, though he’d always had a healthy lead over them on the top of the charts.
The former Gunner extended that lead with a final-day hat-trick against Colorado Rapids, with former Premier League goalkeeper Tim Howard in the net for the opposition playing his final game before retirement.
As a result, Vela reached 34 goals for the season, three more than the previous league record of 31. LAFC also broke the record for most points in a single season (72), most goals in a season (85), highest goal difference (+48) and fewest games to clinch a playoff spot (25), so it was a dominant campaign for them thanks to Vela.
The 30-year-old scored a couple of really nice goals on the day as well, with one long-range effort and one overhead kick:
MVP x 3⃣2⃣@11carlosV opens the scoring and re-writes the record books!!#LAFCvCOL pic.twitter.com/D357Vp6uga
— LAFC (@LAFC) October 6, 2019
https://twitter.com/LAFC/status/1180957763511279616
Vela has simply proven himself too good for the division over the course of the regular campaign, but now he has to do the same in the playoffs – starting on October 19th. The ex-Arsenal man is still on to win the Golden Boot, the Supporters’ Shield, the MVP award and the MLS Cup, which would make it a perfect season for him.
For those interested in the third goal, it’s not quite as exciting, but you can watch it here:
https://twitter.com/LAFC/status/1180960101479243776