Philadelphia Union’s Tai Baribo wins 1st MLS Player of the Month Award of 2025

After a stunning start to the season that saw him grab six goals for the Union in his first three games, Tai Baribo has been honored with the first Player of the Month Award of the 2025 MLS season for February and March.

With his win, Tai Baribo becomes just the third Union player to be named Player of the Month after Jack Mclnernery, who won the award in consecutive months (April and May 2013), and Sebastien Le Toux, who captured the award in September 2011.

Tai Baribo and the Union are on fire!

The 27-year-old’s impressive form has helped him kickstart the 2025 season in record-breaking fashion. This not only gave them the best start to the season in club history, with three wins in the first three games and a plus-seven goal differential, but it has also taken them to second place on the Eastern Conference table.

His tally of six goals has kept him at the top of the Golden Boot race since Matchday two, where he scored the only hat trick of this season in a 4-1 win over FC Cincinnati.

Alongside Javier Chicharito Hernandez, Ayo Akinola, and Brian Ching, the Israeli became the fourth player in MLS history to score five goals in the first two matches of the season.

Union, MLS — Image Credit: Philadelphia Union

Can Baribo keep Philly at the top?

For Tai Baribo, his mega headstart has been a continuation of a wonderful 2024, as he is tied as the league’s best scorer since June 2024, scoring 15 goals over this period. Coupled with this, he is also the only MLS player to score multiple hat tricks in the 9-month span, while his four multi-score games are the league’s best in the same period.

Despite Baribo’s lack of goals since game week three, he will be looking to lead the Union back to winning ways this Saturday against Orlando City SC. They come off a rough week, during which they suffered their second defeat of the season against Inter Miami at the Chase Stadium.

A win would see them cement their place as title contenders this season after a woeful 2024 that saw them settle for twelfth place.