Croatian international Petar Musa has achieved a significant individual milestone in Major League Soccer, becoming the league's top scorer. In the away match against Portland Timbers, Musa came off the bench and scored in the 88th minute to give his club, FC Dallas, a 2-1 lead. Although Dallas eventually conceded to leave the result at 2-2, the goal marked Musa's 13th of the season.
With this goal, Musa surpassed Belgian striker Hugo Cuypers, who previously had 13 goals, to take sole possession of the top spot in the race for the Golden Boot. For comparison, Argentine star Leo Messi is currently third in the scoring charts with 12 goals, despite having seven assists. Musa, aged 28, has recorded 13 goals and two assists so far this season.
This was Musa's 16th appearance for Dallas in MLS this season. The goal was his first since returning from the World Cup. The Croatian footballer began his career at NK Zagreb, before going on to play for Viktoria Žižkov, Slavia Prague, Boavista, and Slovan Liberec. He joined Dallas from Benfica in February 2024, with the transfer fee estimated at €10 million.
FC Dallas currently sits eighth in the MLS standings with 26 points. League leaders Nashville have 39 points, making them the main contenders for the top spot. Musa's performance has contributed to stabilising the team in the middle of the table, although Dallas remains significantly behind the leading side.
