CHICAGO(Oct. 22, 2017) – Chicago Fire forward Nemanja Nikolic has been named the 2017 MLS Golden Boot winner, finishing the regular season with a league-high 24 goals.
In his first year with the Fire, Nikolic broke the club’s 17-year-old goal scoring record of 18 goals, previously set by Ante Razov in 2000, ultimately tying Carlos Ruiz (2002) and Bradley Wright-Phillips (2016) for the sixth-best single season goals total in MLS history.
Nikolic also became the quickest in club history to ten goals with his brace against the Colorado Rapids on May 17. Signed with the Fire on Dec. 20, 2016, the Hungarian international had six multi-goal games including a hat trick against the Philadelphia Union on Oct. 15 to lead the Fire back into the post-season for the first time since 2012.
Five of Nikolic’s goals were game-winners, helping his side to the full three points on March 11 against Real Salt Lake, April 8 against Columbus Crew SC, May 17 against the Colorado Rapids, July 1 against the Vancouver Whitecaps and Oct. 15 against the Philadelphia Union.
In addition to his goals, Nikolic tallied four assists, including the assist on Luis Solignac’s game-winning goal on June 17 against the New England Revolution at Gillette Stadium.
