LAFC forward Denis Bouanga has been voted MLS Player of the Month for September 2025.
Bouanga netted a league-best eight goals, and his nine goal contributions saw him tied with Inter Miami CF’s Lionel Messi and LAFC teammate, Son Heung-Min, for the most in the league.
The Gabon international scored in all four of LAFC’s games, which included hat tricks at the San Jose Earthquakes (Sept. 13) and against Real Salt Lake (Sept. 21). By doing so, he became the eighth different player in league history to record two hat tricks in a three-game span.
In September, Bouanga reached 23 goals this season and became the first player in MLS history to score at least 20 goals in three consecutive campaigns. His 23 goals are one behind Messi (24) atop the Golden Boot presented by Audi leaderboard, as he aims to become the sixth player in MLS history to win multiple Golden Boot awards (also won in 2023).
The three-time MLS All-Star has combined with Son to score the last 17 goals for LAFC, an MLS record for the most consecutive goals by a duo.
Bouanga and LAFC also clinched an Audi 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs spot in September, marking the fourth-straight season they will compete in the postseason. Since the start of August, LAFC have gone 5W-1L-2D.
This is the second time Bouanga has earned the honor in his career after winning the award in October 2023. He joins Carlos Vela (three times in 2019) as the only players in LAFC history to earn multiple MLS Player of the Month honors.
Bouanga and LAFC host Atlanta United this weekend on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire (9 pm ET | MLS Season Pass, Apple TV+). As part of that match, MLS, TikTok, and MLS Season Pass on Apple TV recently announced ‘Player Spotlight: LAFC’, a live stream bringing fans an exclusive LAFC viewing experience on TikTok LIVE that puts the spotlight on stars like Bouanga.
MLS Player of the Month is voted upon by a panel of select national media members in a process conducted by MLS Communications.
