D.C. United's Dwayne De Rosario won the 2011 Budweiser Golden Boot, awarded to the top goal scorer in MLS at the end of the regular season. This season, De Rosario scored 16 goals and added 12 assists. Over his career he has scored 93 MLS goals in 11 seasons, positioning him seventh on the list all-time top goalscorers in MLS.
Among De Rosario's 2011 16 goals and 12 assists are two hat tricks, three game-winning goals and four game-winning assists. Additionally, De Rosario ranked fourth in MLS assists (12), first in shots (113) and second in shots on goal (44).
The bridesmaids
De Rosario’s season tally tied him with San Jose Earthquakes' Chris Wondolowski for league-leader this season, but assists are the first tiebreaker to determine the Golden Boot winner and Wondolowski only had three assists. Thierry Henry followed Wondolowski with 14 goals, Andres Mendoza was fourth (13) and Fredy Montero was fifth (12).
De Rosario scored for three MLS teams this season
This year De Rosario became the first player in MLS history to score goals for three different teams over the course of a single season. As a member of Toronto FC, De Rosario scored one goal in two games before being traded to New York Red Bulls where he contributed two goals in 13 games. After joining D.C. United in a trade for Dax McCarty on June 27, De Rosario scored 13 goals and added seven assists in just 18 games.
Wondolowski, the 2010 Golden Boot winner, is the third player to have won the Golden Boot and then tie for the lead the following season. He joins former MLS players Stern John (led in 1998 with 26; tied in 1999 with 18) and Carlos Ruiz (led in 2002 with 24; tied in 2003 with 15).
Top MLS Goal Scorers in history
2011: 16 goals – Dwayne De Rosario (D.C. United); Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
2010: 18 goals – Chris Wondolowski (San Jose Earthquakes)
2009: 17 goals – Jeff Cunningham (FC Dallas)
2008: 20 goals – Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)
2007: 20 goals – Luciano Emilio (D.C. United)
2006: 16 goals – Jeff Cunningham (Real Salt Lake)
2005: 17 goals – Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
2004: 12 goals – Eddie Johnson (Dallas Burn); Brian Ching (San Jose Earthquakes)
2003: 15 goals – Carlos Ruiz (Los Angeles Galaxy); Taylor Twellman (New England Revolution)
2002: 24 goals – Carlos Ruiz (Los Angeles Galaxy)
2001: 19 goals – Alex Pineda Chacon (Miami Fusion)
2000: 26 goals – Mamadou Diallo (Tampa Bay Mutiny)
1999: 18 goals – Stern John (Columbus Crew); Roy Lassiter (D.C. United); Jason Kreis (Dallas Burn)
1998: 26 goals – Stern John (Columbus Crew)
1997: 16 goals – Jaime Moreno (D.C. United)
1996: 27 goals – Roy Lassiter (Tampa Bay Mutiny)
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