2025 MLS NEXT Pro Golden Boot & Playmaker Awards

MLS NEXT Pro has announced its top individual honors for the 2025 regular season, with Jason Shokalook of Chicago Fire FC II securing the Golden Boot Award as the league’s leading scorer with 20 goals, while Marcos Dias of New England Revolution II captured the inaugural Playmaker of the Year Award after setting a new single-season league record with 13 assists. Both players clinched their respective honors with two-goal and two-assist performances on Decision Day.

Golden Boot Award History:

• 2025: Jason Shokalook, Chicago Fire FC II (20)
• 2024: David Poreba, Chicago Fire FC II (18)
• 2023: Jack Lynn (Orlando City B), Rémi Cabral (Colorado Rapids 2), MD Myers (NYC FC II) – tied with 19 (recap here)
• 2022: Jacen Russell-Rowe, Columbus Crew 2 (21)

The 23-year-old Shokalook, who made 22 appearances (17 starts) this season, edged out Sam Sarver of North Texas SC (19 goals), Tacoma Defiance’s Yu Tsukanome (18 goals), and St Louis CITY2’s Mykhi Joyner (15 goals) to claim the prize. His stellar campaign marks back-to-back Golden Boot victories for Chicago Fire FC II, following David Poreba’s 18-goal winning performance in 2024.

A native of Erie, Pennsylvania, Shokalook joined Chicago as the 35th overall selection in the 2024 MLS SuperDraft from the University of Akron. After posting two goals and two assists across 23 matches in his rookie year, he exploded offensively in 2025, finishing with 20 goals and four assists while helping his team secure a third straight playoff appearance as the Eastern Conference’s No. 6 seed (12-9-7, 48 points).

Meanwhile, Brazilian midfielder Dias orchestrated New England’s attack throughout 28 appearances (26 starts), shattering the previous MLS NEXT Pro assist record of 10 held by seven different players. The 2025 campaign represented a career year for Dias, who combined his record-setting playmaking with 10 goals—eclipsing his previous best of nine goals and five assists from 2024. His creativity proved essential in New England’s third-place Eastern Conference finish (14-7-7, 54 points, +17 goal differential), as he consistently delivered chances for teammates like leading scorer Liam Butts (13 goals).

Dias topped fellow assist leaders Claudio Cassano (Chicago Fire FC II), Tate Robertson (Chattanooga FC), and Rafael Mosquera (New York Red Bulls II), who each recorded 10 assists. Since arriving from Vasco de Gama in 2022, Dias has become Revolution II’s all-time top scorer.

The playoff picture will crystallize Thursday, October 9, when MLS NEXT Pro unveils its Pick-Your-Opponent format bracket for the third consecutive year. As the No. 3 seed, New England Revolution II will select its first-round opponent—potentially setting up a clash with Shokalook’s sixth-seeded Chicago Fire FC II. Conference Quarterfinals begin October 17-19, with all postseason matches streaming live on MLS Season Pass via Apple TV through the MLS NEXT Pro Cup (November 7-9).