NEW YORK (Monday, September 22, 2025) – LAFC forward Denis Bouanga was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra for Matchday 35 of the 2025 MLS season.
Bouanga notched his second hat trick in three games in LAFC’s 4-1 victory over Real Salt Lake on Sunday night (Watch Highlights from His Performance Here ). Bouanga’s night was full of history, as the forward, who has 22 goals on the season, became the first player in MLS history to score at least 20 goals in three consecutive seasons and just the second player in league annals to score at least 20 goals in three different seasons, joining Bradley Wright-Phillips (2014, 2016, 2018). He became the eighth different player in league history to record two hat tricks in a three-game span and the first since Columbus’ Cucho Hernández, who accomplished the feat from Sept. 2-20, 2023.
Bouanga’s 22 goals this season are tied with Lionel Messi atop the Golden Boot presented by Audi leaderboard as the season races towards the finish. LAFC also became the first team in MLS history to have a player score a hat trick in three consecutive matches: Bouanga (Sept. 13 at San Jose and Sept. 21 vs. Real Salt Lake) and Son Heung-min (Sept. 17 at Real Salt Lake).
After falling behind to an early goal from Salt Lake, LAFC tied the score in first half stoppage time when Bouanga and Son played an intricate passing combination, which Bouanga slotted home with a one-timed finish from inside the 18-yard-box (Watch Here). After Son gave LAFC a 2-1 advantage, Bouanga made it 3-1 in the 73rd minute as he got behind the Salt Lake defense and chipped the ‘keeper for his second goal of the night ( Watch Here). The Gabonese forward completed his hat trick in the 87th minute when Jeremy Ebobisse found him in space and Bouanga placed his finish into the net to seal the 4-1 win (Watch Here).
This is the fourth time Bouanga has been named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra in his career, and the first since Matchday 14 in 2024. Bouanga joins FC Cincinnati’s Evander as the only players in MLS to win a Player of the Matchday award in each of the last three seasons.
Bouanga and LAFC travel to face St. Louis CITY SC at Energizer Park on Saturday (8:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV), as the club looks to continue its late-season surge.
The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while an Instagram fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.
