Lionel Messi has achieved yet another remarkable milestone in his legendary career by clinching the Major League Soccer (MLS) Golden Boot for the 2025 season. The Inter Miami superstar finished with an impressive 29 goals, topping the scoring charts ahead of Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge and LAFC’s Denis Bouanga, who both ended the season with 24 goals.
This triumph marks Messi’s first-ever MLS Golden Boot win since joining the league, having come close in 2024 when he narrowly lost the title to D.C. United’s Christian Benteke by just three goals. His performance this season has been nothing short of phenomenal, reaffirming his status as one of football’s most consistent and influential players across generations.
Messi makes history with Inter Miami
The 29-goal campaign is historic for Inter Miami as Messi becomes the club’s first-ever player to win the MLS Golden Boot. He also joins an elite list as only the second Argentine in MLS history to claim the award, following Valentín “Taty” Castellanos, who bagged 19 goals for New York City FC in 2021.
Messi’s scoring record this season ranks among the best in MLS history. Only Josef Martínez (31 goals in 2018) and Carlos Vela (34 goals in 2019) have recorded higher tallies in a single campaign since 2005. With 29 goals in 28 appearances, the Argentine averaged an outstanding 1.03 goals per game, trailing slightly behind Vela’s record of 1.10 goals per game in 2019.
Beyond his goal-scoring exploits, Messi set a new MLS record for the most non-penalty goals in a single season, with 28 out of his 29 strikes coming from open play — surpassing the previous record by three goals. His consistent brilliance and ability to find the net in various match situations once again highlighted his technical mastery and game intelligence.
Record-breaking season for the Argentine legend
Messi’s dominance wasn’t limited to goals alone. He also broke several league records, including becoming the first player in MLS history to score in 10 multi-goal matches within a single season. The previous record of eight was jointly held by Stern John (Columbus Crew, 1998), Mamadou Diallo (Tampa Bay Mutiny, 2000), and Zlatan Ibrahimović (LA Galaxy, 2019).
His 29 league goals rank 10th among his best career seasons, an impressive feat given his past accomplishments — including his record-breaking 50-goal La Liga campaign for Barcelona in the 2011/12 season. Messi also recorded 19 assists this season, bringing his total goal contributions to 48, the second-highest in MLS history, behind only Carlos Vela’s 49 from 2019.
In doing so, Messi became just the second player in MLS history to lead the league in both goals and assists within the same season, matching the remarkable achievement of Sebastian Giovinco from 2015 (22 goals and 15 assists). His playmaking and finishing ability once again demonstrated his all-around brilliance on the pitch.
Looking ahead to the playoffs
With the Golden Boot now secured, Inter Miami will shift their focus to the upcoming MLS playoffs, where they face Nashville SC in a best-of-three first-round series starting Friday. Messi, who has repeatedly proven his clutch ability on the big stage, will be expected to lead his team’s charge for their first-ever MLS Cup title.
Fans around the world eagerly anticipate whether the World Cup-winning captain can add another chapter to his extraordinary career by guiding Inter Miami to championship glory — a fitting conclusion to a record-shattering season in American football.