Oct. 24, 2010
EARTHQUAKES PAGE
SAN JOSE -- San Jose Earthquakes forward and Major League Soccer MVP candidate Chris Wondolowski has claimed the 2010 Budweiser Golden Boot, awarded to the top goal scorer at the end of the MLS regular season. Wondolowskis career-high 18 goals through 28 games played this season helped the Earthquakes to their first playoff appearance since the team rejoined MLS in 2008.
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The Danville native has set numerous MLS records and franchise records this season. Wondolowski finished his 2010 campaign by scoring the last ten consecutive goals for San Jose, which set a new MLS record. It broke the previous record held by former Los Angeles Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz from 2002-2003, who had nine.
Wondolowski trailed Galaxy forward Edson Buddle by six goals (148) with eight games to play (through games of September 11). By winning the Budweiser Golden Boot, he becomes the first player to win an MLS goal-scoring title, either jointly or outright, by erasing a deficit of five or more goals in his last 10 games.
Wondolowski scored 18 of the teams 34 goals in 2010, which is the second highest such percentage in MLS history. He scored 52.9 percent of San Joses goals, second only to Ruiz, who scored 24 of the Galaxys 44 goals in 2002 (54.5).
The MVP candidate set a franchise record for goals in a season, with 18, breaking the previous record of 15, set by Ronald Cerritos in 1999. He also tied Ruizs MLS record (in 2002) and set a new franchise record with nine game-winning goals. Ariel Graziani held the San Jose record with six game-winners in 2002.
Soccer
Wondolowski also becomes the first player in San Jose franchise history to win the Golden Boot. In 2004, Brian Ching scored 12 goals, which was tied with FC Dallas forward Eddie Johnson for the league lead in goals. However, in 2004, MLS did not award the Golden Boot, but awarded the MLS Scoring Champion, who had the most points in the season.
Courtesy San Jose Earthquakes media services.