Lionel Messi -,The 38-year-old dazzled supporters with his signature inventiveness and unwavering accuracy while recording 29 goals and 20 assists in 28 league games. In the MLS Cup Final, he delivered two assists in a 3–1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, sealing Miami’s first-ever league championship and capping one of the most impressive individual seasons in Major League Soccer history.
The Landon Donovan MVP award, named after the American legend, is now in Messi’s hands for a second straight year—making him the first player in MLS history to achieve the feat. The forward also became the only player in league history to produce 36 or more goal contributions in multiple seasons (2024 and 2025) and joined Sebastian Giovinco as just the second man to lead MLS in both goals and assists in a single campaign.
Lionel Messi’s 29-goal haul ranks as the fourth-highest single-season total in MLS history, despite him missing several games through rotation and international duty. Even more impressively, he shattered the previous record for most multi-goal games in a season, hitting double braces or hat-tricks in 10 matches—surpassing legends such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Mamadou Diallo, and Stern John, who each managed it eight times.
This season also served as ideal preparation for Messi’s final World Cup run with Argentina. After lifting the trophy in Qatar in 2022, he is expected to lead his nation once again at the 2026 World Cup, hosted across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Argentina will face Algeria, Austria, and Jordan in the group stage—a favorable draw that gives them an excellent chance of progressing deep into the tournament.
Lionel Messi recently inked a contract extension that will keep him in Miami until 2028, but his impact both on and off the field doesn’t appear to be diminishing. The world’s best playmaker continues to redefine what longevity and excellence look like in contemporary football, whether he is planning attacks in pink or donning Argentina’s sky blue and white.
