Denis Bouanga, a French forward at Los Angeles Football Club (LAFC), has made a considerable impact in Major League Soccer (MLS). After joining LAFC from Saint-Etienne, Buanga excelled in his final season in Ligue 1, scoring nine goals and providing six assists for his former club. Despite raising some puzzling doubts, he decided to continue his career at MLS and quickly became one of the most dangerous attacking threats in the league. This season, Buanga won the Golden Boot in the regular season with 20 goals in 31 games.
He is now just one goal away from equalling the record for most goals scored by an MLS player in a year in all competitions. Buanga's performance shows that he is on track to break the record of 38 goals set by his team-mate Carlos Villa in 2019. LAFC captain Villa has taken on a more creative role, putting Buanga on the scoring squad. Buanga's rise as a leading scorer threat has played a major role in LAFC's success, with his goals making a significant contribution to the team's performance.
Buanga's coaches and team-mates praised him for his ability to attract opposition players, open up space and change the game with his speed and shooting skills. His dedication to elevating his craft is also evident, and he has achieved important milestones and recognition in MLS. In addition to the club's achievements, Buanga also has ambitions on the international stage. He dreams of representing Gabon in the 2026 World Cup final, and he believes MLS is the best league to play, especially given that the United States will host the tournament in three years' time. With the development of MLS and the addition of big-name players like Lionel Messi to the league, Buanga believes more players will be drawn to MLS in the future.