Messi makes history as 1st back-to-back MLS Golden Boot winner
Lionel Messi has become the first player to win back-to-back MLS Golden Boot awards after the Inter Miami forward finished the 2026 Major League Soccer regular season with a league-high 26 goals.
Messi is just the sixth player to finish with the most goals in multiple MLS regular seasons. His 26 goals this season came in 31 games (29 starts).
The 39-year-old, who retired from the Argentina national team last month, also registered 17 assists to record a league-high 43 goal contributions.
Messi failed to add to his 2026 tally in his final game of the regular season Saturday as Miami surrendered a three-goal halftime lead to draw 3-3 with Charlotte FC.
Still, he finished four goals clear of his nearest challenger this season, FC Dallas‘ Croatia forward Petar Musa. Nashville SC striker Sam Surridge finished third with 21 goals after scoring twice on the final day.
Messi’s contributions throughout the year propelled Inter Miami to second in the Eastern Conference table, clinching a playoff spot and a ticket to the upcoming edition of the Concacaf Champions Cup for a fourth consecutive time.
Messi earned the Golden Boot in 2025 after scoring 29 goals in just 28 regular-season games, surpassing Denis Bouanga and Surridge at 24 goals each. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also had a league-high 19 assists in 2025.
His efforts earned him the 2025 MVP award, and he remains the front-runner to win the trophy again in 2026. Having also been named league MVP in his first full season with Miami in 2024, he will become the first three-time winner if he is awarded the prize this year.
“I have no doubt that he’s the best of all,” Miami coach Cristian ”Kily” González said of Messi recently. “None of them can compare to him when it comes to respect for his colleagues.
“Leo at his age and what he does, from my point of view, deserves the MVP and also the Ballon d’Or. I hope he can achieve it.”
Ian Fray put Miami ahead in the 14th minute Saturday following a Messi corner kick. Luis Suárez tapped one in from close range in the 33rd after Germán Berterame headed Messi’s corner toward the goal. Rodrigo De Paul made it 3-0 in the 42nd with a shot from outside the penalty area.
Then came Charlotte’s surge.
Liel Abada scored in the 50th and 55th minutes, and Rodolfo Aloko tied it in the 90th when he put away the rebound after Tyger Smalls hit the post.
Miami finished second in the Eastern Conference with 60 points after third-place New England lost 1-0 at Orlando. Nashville beat Cincinnati 2-0 to finish with 77 points, breaking Miami’s MLS single-season record of 74 set in 2024.
Miami will have home advantage for its best-of-three first-round playoff series against seventh-seeded Columbus Crew.