Diego Rossi

Diego Rossi Wins 2020 MLS Golden Boot Presented By Audi

LAFC forward Diego Rossi tonight won the 2020 Major League Soccer Golden Boot presented by Audi at age 22, becoming the youngest player in MLS history to lead the league in goals scored. Rossi led MLS with 14 goals scored across 19 matches played this season, with a career-high goals-per-game average of .737 on the year.

Rossi becomes the youngest player to lead the league in goals-scored, besting Carlos Ruiz who led MLS with 24 goals in 2002 at 23-years-old. That same year, before the Golden Boot was officially awarded, Taylor Twellman at age 22 was named the MLS Scoring Champion with the most points from combined goals and assists.

LAFC becomes the first team in MLS history to have Golden Boot winners in consecutive seasons, after Carlos Vela won in 2019 with an MLS record 34 goals.

• Diego Rossi's Road To The Golden Boot

Rossi helped LAFC to a league-leading 47 goals scored in the regular season this year, with their 2.14 goals-per-game average standing as the seventh-most in league history.

Through his prolific goalscoring efforts, Rossi has raised $20,000 for the LAFC Academy through the ‘Audi Goals Drive Progress’ program, a multi-year initiative launched by Audi and dedicated to expanding the breadth of academy resources through contributions toward player education, housing and transportation. The funds raised by Rossi – a $10,000 contribution for winning the Golden Boot and an additional $10,000 for winning the MLS is Back Tournament Golden Boot presented by Audi – will be used by the LAFC Academy to ensure young players are supported as they endeavor to maintain excellence on the pitch and in the classroom.

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19-YEAR-OLD URUGUAYAN FORWARD SECOND YOUNGEST DESIGNATED PLAYER IN MLS HISTORY

LAFC announced today that Diego Rossi will join the Club as a Young Designated Player. Rossi is the second Designated Player in LAFC history. LAFC has reached an agreement with Rossi’s current club, Peñarol of Uruguay’s Primera División, that will transfer him to LAFC on January 1, 2018.

An electrifying 19-year-old forward, Rossi comes to MLS as the second youngest Designated Player in league history after scoring 10 goals for Peñarol this season and helping lead the storied club to their 51st Uruguayan Club Championship. 2015 MLS All-Star Fabian Castillo, who signed with FC Dallas in 2011 as an 18-year old, is the youngest Designated Player in MLS history.

“We are incredibly excited to announce the signing of Diego Rossi,” said LAFC General Manager and Executive Vice President of Soccer Operations John Thorrington. “We believe he will be a great asset on and off the field for LAFC and MLS. Diego is a player with great promise and international interest. It is another powerful statement from LAFC and our league that Diego is choosing to take the next step of his career in Los Angeles.”

The Montevideo, Uruguay native has played for the Uruguay Under-17 and Under-20 National Teams, scoring 10 goals for Uruguay in 39 appearances while helping Uruguay win the U-20 South American Championship.

“Diego is a young and exciting attacking player,” LAFC head coach Bob Bradley said. “His experiences at Peñarol and his ability fit perfectly with our vision of the team we are building at LAFC. We believe Diego will mature into a top-class player.”

Rossi entered the Peñarol youth system at 12-years old and led the U-17 club to the league title. Rossi made his First Team regular season debut on April 29, 2016 and scored his first goal five days later. He has made 47 total appearances with the Peñarol First Team, scoring 13 goals in all matches, including the Copa Libertadores, South America’s premier club competition.

Rossi joins a rapidly growing LAFC roster that features Carlos Vela, Omar Gaber and recent acquisitions Walker Zimmerman, Laurent Ciman, Tyler Miller, Latif Blessing, and Marco Ureña.