Ranking the Top 75 MLS Players of 2024: 5. Christian Benteke

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Christian Benteke is one of the purest goal scorers there is, and is perhaps the best aerial player in all of Major League Soccer. Regardless of if you're a stocky center back or a fellow target man forward, best of luck beating Benteke to a ball in the air. He cruised to the Golden Boot in 2024, with a healthy supply of goals spread out throughout the season. His final tally was 23, which was easily enough to win the award. More importantly, it was not enough to get DC United back into the postseason, the rest of the team was simply just not good enough. Without any massive new additions, 2025 might just be a new chapter of the same story.

The Belgian forward started the campaign the way he ended it, the Golden Boot was never in doubt after he dropped a hat trick on New England moments into the season. He scored in back-to-back matches against Columbus and Orlando. A brace against Seattle and another hat trick against Atlanta United guided DC to two unexpected ealy season wins. From there, the season started to dip for the club, but not for Benteke, who did the double in Montreal. Three goal contributions led DC over Minnesota United in July. A brace against Columbus kickstarted a streak of goals in three straight games. The season closed with a match-winner against the Revolution, just how it began.

Benteke's 23 goals earned him an average of 0.80 goals per 90. He was the single-best forward in the air across the league, by a longshot. He won 72% of his aerial duels, which is ridiculous for anybody. He also won almost 11 of those duels in the air every match, an almost unthinkable amount. He averaged 6.54 touches in the opposition's box as well. He makes a living in the area, with a defender closely attached at the hip, many times that makes no difference. The issue with DC is that Benteke is its attacking game plan, there is not much of anything else going on, making things quite predictable. Even with that being the case, he scored more goals than anyone else league-wide, the 6-foot-3 striker is unstoppable. Benteke comes in at No. 5.

5) CHRISTIAN BENTEKE | FWD, DC | PER 90 STATS (PERCENTILE)

23 GOALS

0.80 GOALS PER 90 (93%)

72% AERIAL DUELS WON (100%)

10.9 AERIAL DUELS WON PER 90 (100%)