MLS: 5 records on pace to be broken in 2019

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 15: Carlos Vela #10 of Los Angeles FC during Los Angeles FC's MLS match against Real Salt Lake at the Banc of California Stadium on August 15, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 2-0 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images) /

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LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 21: Carlos Vela #10 of Los Angeles FC lines up a a shot during Los Angeles FC’s MLS match against Seattle Sounders at the Banc of California Stadium on April 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. Los Angeles FC won the match 4-1 (Photo by Shaun Clark/Getty Images) /

2. Goals scored in a season (individual)

There are success stories in MLS, and then there’s Carlos Vela. Recent tiff with Zlatan Ibrahimovic aside, Vela has been the poster-boy for the league in 2019, scoring goals left, right and centre whilst leading LAFC to first place in the West.

Vela has scored 22 goals in 22 games for LAFC this season, meaning, if the math stands up, you are guaranteed to see a Vela goal on any given night at Banc of California Stadium. If Vela scores 12 more goals in LAFC’s final 12 regular season games, he will finish with 34 goals, three more than the current record of 31 in a season, held by Atlanta United’s Josef Martinez.

Martinez set the record in 2018 en route to Atlanta United’s MLS Cup victory. While I’m sure Vela’s main goal is to be the one lifting the trophy at the end of the year, sole possession of one of MLS’s hallmark records wouldn’t hurt his legacy either.

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