Messi Wins Second Straight MLS Golden Boot With 26 Goals
The Inter Miami forward finished the 2026 regular season with a league-high 43 goal contributions, securing a playoff spot and a fourth consecutive Champions Cup berth.
By Olivia Miller ·
Lionel Messi became the first player in Major League Soccer history to win the Golden Boot award in consecutive seasons. He finished the 2026 regular season with 26 goals, the highest total in the league. His 17 assists gave him 43 total goal contributions, another league-leading mark.
Messi is the sixth player in MLS history to top the scoring charts in multiple regular seasons. He achieved this milestone in 31 games, starting 29 of them. The 39-year-old retired from the Argentina national team in October. He failed to score in Saturday's final regular-season match, as Inter Miami drew 3-3 with Charlotte FC.
Miami surrendered a three-goal halftime lead in that matchup. Ian Fray opened the scoring in the 14th minute off a Messi corner kick. Luis Suárez added a goal in the 33rd minute after a header from Germán Berterame set up the play. Rodrigo De Paul made it 3-0 in the 42nd minute with a shot from outside the box. Liel Abada scored twice for Charlotte in the second half, and Rodolfo Aloko tied the game in the 90th minute with a rebound.
Messi finished four goals ahead of Petar Musa of FC Dallas, who scored 22 goals. Sam Surridge of Nashville SC placed third with 21 goals after a two-goal performance on the final day. In 2025, Messi won the Golden Boot with 29 goals in 28 games, beating Denis Bouanga and Surridge, who each had 24 goals. He also recorded a league-high 19 assists that year.
Messi won the MVP award in 2025 and remains the leading candidate for the 2026 trophy. He was named league MVP in 2024 during his first full season with Miami. If he wins again this year, he will become the first three-time recipient of the award. Miami coach Cristian González called Messi the best of all players regarding respect for colleagues.
González stated that Messi deserves the MVP and the Ballon d'Or at his age. The Inter Miami squad finished second in the Eastern Conference with 60 points. This result secured a playoff spot and a berth in the Concacaf Champions Cup for the fourth straight year. Nashville SC finished with 77 points after beating Cincinnati 2-0, breaking Miami's single-season record of 74 points set in 2024.
Inter Miami will host the seventh-seeded Columbus Crew in a best-of-three first-round playoff series. The team holds the home-court advantage for that matchup.
