Miami FC's Stéfano Pinho Wins NASL Golden Boot

Miami FC forward Stéfano Pinho captured the 2017 NASL Golden Boot award after scoring a league-high 17 goals this season. The Brazilian returned to the top form that saw him win the same award in 2015.

Leading the league’s most potent attack, Pinho was a model of consistency this year. The 26-year-old forward tallied eight goals in the Spring Season and another nine in the Fall campaign, and his 17-goal total (for which he won the award) doesn’t even include the four goals that he scored in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

After his stellar campaign, the Minas Gerais, Brazil, native now has 38 league goals to his name over three NASL seasons.

Quite possibly the Brazilian’s most stunning performance during the year came on July 8. In a matchup against the San Francisco Deltas, who were chasing Miami for the Spring Season title, Pinho scored four times in a 7-0 win at Riccardo Silva Stadium to clinch the club’s first piece of silverware.

The 6-foot-1 forward also finished the Fall Season in sensational form, scoring five times in the last month. Overall, Pinho played in 27 of Miami’s 32 games, starting in 26 of them and logging 2,186 minutes. In addition to his goals, he added four assists.

As mentioned, this year’s Golden Boot award is Pinho’s second in the last three years. The former Fluminense forward scored 16 goals in 2015 with the Fort Lauderdale Strikers.

Previous Winners
2011: Etienne Barbara (Carolina RailHawks, 20 goals)
2012: Pablo Campos (San Antonio Scorpions, 21 goals)
2013: Brian Shriver (Carolina RailHawks, 15 goals)
2014: Christian Ramirez (Minnesota United, 20 goals)
2015: Stefano Pinho (Fort Lauderdale Strikers, 16 goals)
2016: Christian Ramirez (Minnesota United, 18 goals)