Lionel Messi has contributed to more goals in the 2025 Major League Soccer season than 11 teams have scored in the league, as he eyes a second MLS Most Valuable Player award in as many seasons and his first Golden Boot.
Coming into Decision Day, the Inter Miami star has 44 goal contributions (26 goals, 18 assists) in 27 appearances. He leads the Golden Boot race by two goals over LAFC’s Denis Bouanga as well.
If Messi does win another MVP award, he’d become the second player to claim the honor twice following Predrag Radosavljević, but he would be the first to the award in consecutive years—Preki won his two in 1997 and 2003.
Lionel Messi vs. MLS Teams
*Lionel Messi is tied with the LA Galaxy (44 goals scored)
By the end of Decision Day, Messi could overtake more teams given the LA Galaxy, Sporting Kansas City (46) and New York Red Bulls (47) are within striking distance. He’d need some help along the way, but the Argentine is in stellar form.
Messi has 14 goal contributions in his last seven MLS games including six in his last two. Winning the Golden Boot will add to his claim, but so will beating San Diego FC’s Anders Dreyer for most assists—one of his challengers for the MVP.
The Californian side set the record for most points in a regular season by an expansion team with Dreyer leading the way. Both Messi and Dreyer are tied on 18 assists coming into Decision Day with seeding implications on the line in both games. Miami look to usurp FC Cincinnati for the second Eastern Conference seed taking on Nashville SC, while San Diego face Portland Timbers eyeing the top Western Conference spot if the Vancouver Whitecaps slip up.
Comparing Messi’s 2024 Stats to Second MVP Bid
At the end of last season, Messi had 20 goals and 16 assists. He finished tied for second and third respectively in each category as Inter Miami lifted a record-setting Supporters’ Shield. The Herons will come up short of matching last season’s high, but Messi has improved in each category despite being a year older.
Though, Miami need two goals on Decision Day to match their goal tally last campaign. Inter Miami are the highest scoring team in the league with 76, but face a staunch test in Nashville who have conceded the joint-second least amount of goals in the Eastern Conference (40).
If Messi wins the Golden Boot, leads the league in assists and helps Miami best their overall goals from last season then the MVP could be heading back to south Florida.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Outrageous Lionel Messi Statistic Puts MLS MVP Conversation Into Perspective.