Messi Shatters Every MLS Record on His Way to 2025 MVP Glory

Lionel Messi has enjoyed numerous outstanding seasons throughout his professional journey, and his recent 2025 campaign with Inter Miami ranks among his finest achievements. 

The Argentine icon guided the Herons to their inaugural MLS Cup championship with a victory over Thomas Müller's Vancouver Whitecaps and secured MLS Cup MVP recognition for his exceptional display. Following his regular-season excellence, he also made history as the first player to claim consecutive Landon Donovan MLS MVP Awards and captured his maiden MLS Golden Boot with 29 strikes in 28 appearances. 

Below are the milestone achievements Messi accomplished during the 2025 MLS season. 

MLS MVP: Consecutive Victories

Messi stands as the sole player in MLS's three-decade history to claim MVP recognition in consecutive seasons. 

He also established himself as the second player in MLS history to secure two MVP titles, joining only Preki, who accomplished this feat in 1997 and 1993. He represents just the second player in league history to earn MVP honors after topping the MLS season in both goals and assists, matching Sebastian Giovinco's 2015 campaign with Toronto FC. 

First Player to Reach 1,300 Goal Contributions

Messi made soccer history by becoming the first player on record to achieve 1,300 goal contributions, reaching this milestone against FC Cincinnati in a commanding 4–0 victory during the 2025 MLS Cup playoffs. Upon lifting the MLS Cup, he had accumulated 1,303 career goal contributions, comprising 896 goals and 407 assists. 

All-Time Assists Leader

Messi's legacy expanded during the MLS Cup playoffs, as he overtook Hungarian icon Ferenc Puskás for the most assists in soccer history with his display against New York City FC in the Eastern Conference final. 

Puskás concluded his career with 404 documented assists. Meanwhile, Brazilian icon Pelé holds third place all-time in this category with 369 assists. Johan Cruyff occupies fourth position with 358 assists, while Messi's MLS Cup final opponent Thomas Müller ranks fifth with 352. 

2025 MLS Golden Boot Winner 

Following his 20-goal tally in his inaugural complete MLS season, Messi elevated his scoring prowess with 29 goals across 28 matches in his second MLS campaign. He approached Decision Day holding a two-goal advantage over LAFC's Denis Bouanga, but netted a hat-trick against Nashville to clinch the award. 

He joins three other players as the fourth in MLS history to capture both the Golden Boot and MVP in the same season. 

Multi-Goal Games Record and Consecutive Streak 

Messi established himself as the first player in MLS history to register multiple goals in 10 matches during a single season. He found the net twice against Nashville SC, Atlanta United, D.C. United, Red Bull New York, New England Revolution, CF Montréal, and the Columbus Crew. 

This achievement surpassed the previous benchmark of eight games, shared by three other players, including Zlatan Ibrahimović's 2019 campaign with the LA Galaxy. 

Five of his multi-goal performances occurred consecutively, making him the first player to accomplish this remarkable sequence in MLS. 

Inter Miami All-Time Goal Contributions Record Holder

Inter Miami lacked a distinguished record during their two-and-a-half seasons prior to Messi's arrival in summer 2023, so it required minimal time for him to surpass another Argentine great, Gonzalo Higuaín, for the most goals and goal contributions in franchise history.

He reached this milestone with a goal in a 1–1 stalemate against Toronto FC on April 6, bringing his tally to 44 goal contributions across 29 regular season matches in club history, setting the stage for the records that would follow later in the campaign. 

Pursuing Carlos Vela

Messi delivered the most efficient season in MLS history regarding total contributions relative to games played, but settled for second place in the MLS record books for most goal contributions in a single season. He concluded with 48 regular-season goal contributions, falling one short of the record of 49, established by Carlos Vela's 2019 season with LAFC.