Have you been following MLS this season? It’s been absolutely wild, with some of the game’s most clinical finishers tearing it up on the pitch. We’re talking about stars from Inter Miami, the Portland Timbers, and the New England Revolution, just to name a few.
Scoring goals is what it’s all about. The MLS has some serious talent when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net. We’re only a few months into the season, and there have already been over 400 goals scored.
This season, find out who the most clinical players in the MLS are. We turned to our trusty friends at FBref for some stats, and they didn’t disappoint. We looked at each player’s xG overperformance (that’s expected goals for those who aren’t stats nerds like us) to determine who’s been the most lethal in front of goal.
When it comes to finishing, these guys are on a completely different level. They are the type of players who effortlessly score goals, regardless of the challenges they face.
Let’s dive into the top 10 most clinical players in MLS this season. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this. These are the guys who are setting the league on fire and leaving goalkeepers trembling in their boots.
1. Lionel Messi (+2.7)
Who else could it be but the one and only Lionel Messi? Since moving to the States, Lionel Messi has been effortlessly destroying MLS defenses. The guy is averaging a goal contribution every 45 minutes.
Now, if you’ve been following Messi’s career, you know that this is nothing new for him. He’s got a trophy case full of Golden Boot awards, and it looks like he’s well on his way to adding another one to his collection this season. As of right now, he’s already scored nine goals in the MLS, and get this: his expected goals (xG) are only 6.3. That means he’s scoring more than the stats say he should be, which is just a testament to how clinical he is in front of goal.
1. Erik Thommy (+2.7)
Erik Thommy for a second. This individual has been phenomenal for Sporting Kansas City thus far this season, and it is still only the midpoint. He’s already found the back of the net four times, and get this—he’s just one goal away from matching his total from last season. And it’s only April! That’s some serious goal-scoring prowess right there.
Sporting This season, Kansas City hasn’t exactly set the league on fire. But that doesn’t take away from how impressive Thommy has been. In fact, he’s been one of the standout performers in the entire MLS.
When you look at his expected goals (xG), Thommy is actually overperforming by 2.7 goals. That means he’s scoring way more than the stats say he should be. And this makes him the joint-most clinical player in the league. Indeed, he shares the top position when it comes to maximizing his opportunities.
3. Lewis Morgan (+2.5)
Lewis Morgan is an absolute beast on the pitch, and it’s so awesome to see him back in top form after missing most of last season due to injury.
For those who don’t know, Morgan used to play for Celtic before making the move to the New York Red Bulls, and let me tell you, he’s been tearing it up in the MLS this season. The defense just can’t seem to handle him!
He’s currently averaging a goal every 110 minutes. And if that wasn’t impressive enough, he’s also overperforming his expected goals (xG) by 2.5 goals so far. He’s scoring way more than the stats say he should be, which just goes to show how clinical he is in front of goal.
It’s really exciting to see a player like Morgan hitting his stride and showing what he’s capable of. It’s evident that Morgan is making up for his extended absence.
4. Cristian Arango (+2.4)
Real Salt Lake is straight-up killing it right now, and a big reason for that is their Colombian sensation, Sergio Arango. This dude has been on an absolute tear, banging in goals left and right.
Arango has already found the back of the net eight times this season, and he shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, he’s been on a ridiculously hot streak lately, scoring six goals in his last five games alone. That’s the kind of form that strikes fear into the hearts of defenders everywhere.
It’s not just the raw numbers that make Arango so impressive. When you dig into the underlying stats, it becomes clear that he’s one of the deadliest finishers in the entire league.
Arango has played in 10 games and scored eight goals. But get this: his expected goals (xG) for those matches are only 5.6. That means he’s overperforming his xG by a whopping 2.4 goals. In other words, he’s scoring way more than the stats say he should be, which is a testament to just how clinical he is in front of goal.
5. Celio Pompeu (+2.3)
The Brazilian winger has been performing exceptionally well for St. Louis City. Last season was a breakout year for him, but somehow, he’s managed to take his game to a whole new level this time around.
Just look at the numbers. This guy has already scored three goals, which is impressive enough on its own. But when you compare that to his expected goals (xG) of just 0.7, it becomes clear that he’s not just scoring; he’s scoring at an incredibly efficient rate.
Based on his xG overperformance, he’s currently the fifth-most clinical player in the entire league. That’s right, five! Out of all the talented attackers in MLS, this Brazilian sensation is right up there with the very best when it comes to making the most of his chances.
6. Carles Gil (+2.2)
Carles Gil is straight-up vibing in the MLS right now. Ever since he made the move from Aston Villa to the New England Revolution back in 2019, he’s been on a whole different level.
In his time over here in the States, Gil has racked up an insane 92 goals in just 163 matches. That’s the type of performance that truly commands attention.
And it’s not just the raw stats that are impressive. When you dig a little deeper, it becomes clear that Gil is one of the most clinical players in the entire league.
So far this season, he’s already found the back of the net three times. But here’s the crazy part: his expected goals (xG) for those matches are only 0.8. That means he’s overperforming his xG by a whopping 2.2 goals!
6. Luis Suarez (+2.2)
Luis Suarez is an absolute legend, and despite approaching his senior year, he continues to score with ease.
Since joining Inter Miami, Suarez has been on an absolute tear. He’s already found the back of the net seven times, which is impressive enough on its own. But here’s the crazy part: when you look at his expected goals (xG), he’s actually overperforming by 2.2 goals.
Suarez has had so much success with Inter Miami. When you’ve got guys like Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba feeding you chances, you’re bound to score a ton of goals. These players are among the world’s top playmakers, consistently providing Suarez with ample opportunities to score.
8. Felipe Mora (+2.0)
Santiago Moreno, who’s been killing it for the Portland Timbers this season, has also been getting in on the action, and man, has he been clinical in front of goal?
Mora has already scored four goals this season, which is impressive enough on its own. But here’s the crazy part: He’s done it with just five shots on target. That’s right, five shots, four goals. That’s the kind of efficiency that strikers dream of.
And when you look at his expected goals (xG), it becomes even clearer just how clinical Mora has been. He’s currently overperforming his xG by two goals, which puts him up there with the most lethal finishers in the entire league.
8. Santiago Moreno (+2.0)
The Portland Timbers might have had a bit of a rough start to the season, with only two wins in their first 10 games, but one thing’s for sure: They know how to put the ball in the back of the net.
When it comes to scoring goals in the Western Conference, only the LA Galaxy have been better than Phil Neville’s squad so far. And a big reason for that is Santiago Moreno, who’s been straight-up clinical in front of goal.
Moreno has already scored three goals this season, which is impressive enough on its own. But when you look at his expected goals (xG), he’s actually only supposed to have scored one goal based on the chances he’s had. That means he’s overperforming his xG by a whopping two goals, which is just insane.
It’s no wonder the Timbers were so keen to lock Moreno down with a contract extension. The kid is a straight-up baller, and he’s been a key part of their attack ever since he joined the club as a youngster a few years ago.
“Santi has become an influential component of our attack since joining Portland as a young player a few years ago,” said Timbers general manager Ned Grabavoy when Moreno signed his new deal. “He has taken the necessary steps in his maturation, both on and off the field, which has been vital for his growth.”
