San Jose Earthquakes striker Chris Wondolowski made history on Saturday, scoring four goals including his 146th MLS career marker to surpass Landon Donovan for the all-time league record.
The first strike pulled him level with the USMNT legend Donovan, while the second made the forward the league's all-time leader in goals scored.
Wondolowski's first goal came in the 21st minute against the Chicago Fire. With the sides level, the San Jose forward slid in on the back post and tapped home to give his club a 1-0 lead and pull level with Donovan.
It was the first of the season for Wondolowski, who also owns the career mark for goals scored for a single team in league history.
The record-setting goal was a gift from David Ousted. Just minutes into the second half the Chicago Fire goalkeeper dropped a cross. Wondolowski, to his credit, was lurking near the Fire goal and was quick to react, poking the ball home before Ousted had time to react.
But Wondolowski wasn't done yet.
The striker netted goal No.147 to make an unforgettable night even more memorable to complete his hat-trick as he unleashed a rocket past Ousted.
For good measure, Wondolowski added a fourth goal just four minutes later, as he slotted home a low cross on the back post.
Wondolowski scored his first goal for the Houston Dynamo on August 30, 2006, scoring three more for the club over four seasons in Houston before being traded to the re-formed Earthquakes in June of 2009.
Since then he has been a staple for San Jose, setting the mark for the most goals ever netted by one player for one MLS side during the 2018 season, winning the league's Golden Boot twice and earning the league's Most Valuable Player award in 2012.
For eight straight seasons Wondolowski led the Earthquakes in scoring, his streak of leading the team in goals coming to an end in 2018, ringing up double-digit strikes in each season since his first full year with the club in 2010.
Wondolowski's individual success is even more impressive when considering that it came leading the line for very average San Jose teams. Just once in his time with the club have the Earthquakes finished above sixth in the Western Conference, riding 27 goals from Wondolowski to a first-place finish in his 2012 MVP season.
Despite never being surrounded by all-star setup men or second forwards who could relieve the pressure, Wondolowski consistently racked up goals year after year and has finally earned his place at the top of the MLS scoring charts.
This season has seen Wondolowski's role within the team diminish, as he's been forced to come off the bench under Matías Almeyda with the Earthquakes looking to rebound from a horrible season in 2018.
The move to the bench has seen 36-year-old forward struggle for chances in 2019, with Wondolowski having scored his last goal for the club in a 3-1 loss against the New York Red Bulls last October.
A rare start on Saturday opened up the chance for Wondolowski to move to the top of the MLS scoring charts, and he made no made it count.
MLS has a new man at the top, and his name is Chris Wondolowski.
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