Major League Soccer

H. Cuypers leads the race with 13 goals after 10 matches for Chicago Fire. He is 1 goal clear of L. Messi on 12, while P. Musa sits 1 back on 12. At the current rate H. Cuypers projects to finish on around 48 for the season.

H. Cuypers has scored 13 goals for Chicago Fire this season, accounting for 52% of the team's 25 league goals. The output goes well beyond a flat scoring rate. He is the player Chicago Fire turn to in tight games and the one defenders have to pick up first. Recent goal hauls include 1 goal against CF Montreal, 1 goal against DC United, and 3 goals against FC Cincinnati. The numbers put him in the conversation for player of the season as long as the form holds.

1. H. Cuypers (Chicago Fire) on 13 goals. 2. L. Messi (Inter Miami) on 12 goals. 3. P. Musa (FC Dallas) on 12 goals. 4. M. Ingvartsen (San Diego) on 11 goals. 5. P. Judd (San Jose Earthquakes) on 9 goals.

Son Heung-Min of Los Angeles FC tops the assists chart with 7. L. Langoni (New England Revolution) is next on 6, and M. Moralez of New York City FC rounds out the top three on 6.

H. Cuypers of Chicago Fire is the most efficient finisher in the league at 1.29 goals per 90 minutes. He has 13 goals from 904 minutes, so volume is not the headline. The story is how rarely he wastes time on the pitch.

M. Ingvartsen is the breakout story so far. He had 2 goals last season and already has 11 for San Diego, a jump of 9. Something has clicked between role, fitness, and trust from the coaching staff, and the goals tell the rest.