Messi wins second straight MLS Golden Boot as Nashville set points record
Seven Lights
Lionel Messi won the MLS Golden Boot for a second consecutive season on Saturday, becoming the first player in league history to take the award in back-to-back years. Inter Miami surrendered a three-goal lead in a 3-3 draw with Charlotte on the final day of the regular season.
The Argentinian finished with 26 goals in 31 appearances, four clear of FC Dallas forward Petar Musa and five ahead of Nashville’s Sam Surridge. Vancouver’s Brian White ended the campaign on 20 goals. Messi is only the sixth player to win the award twice.
Though held scoreless, Messi set up Miami’s first two goals from corners at Nu Stadium. Ian Fray, Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul gave the defending champions a 3-0 interval lead before Liel Abada struck twice after the restart and Rodolfo Aloko completed the comeback in the 90th minute. Messi struck the woodwork in stoppage time.
Messi also registered 17 assists, one fewer than league leader Pep Biel, and his 43 goal contributions led MLS for the second year running. He attempted 183 shots, comfortably the most in the league, and provided nearly a third of Miami’s league-high 80 goals. His tally fell two short of last season’s 29.
Nashville set a new MLS single-season points record by beating Cincinnati 2-0 to finish on 77 points, surpassing the 74 Miami collected in 2024. Surridge scored twice to reach 21 goals as the top-seeded Eastern Conference champions recorded 23 wins, three defeats and eight draws.
Miami took second place on 60 points, 17 behind Nashville, and will open the best-of-three playoff first round against seventh-seeded Columbus. New England, third on 58 points after a 1-0 defeat at Orlando, face Philadelphia; Charlotte meet Chicago; and Nashville play the winner of the wild-card tie between Orlando and Cincinnati. Columbus secured seventh with a 4-3 victory at Chicago.
In the Western Conference, Vancouver defeated Montreal 2-0 to finish second in the overall standings and earn home-field advantage in any rematch of last year’s MLS Cup final.
Messi, 39, retired from international football this year after helping Argentina reach the World Cup final. He is in line to become the first three-time winner of the Landon Donovan MVP award, having taken it in 2024 and 2025. Miami begin their title defence this month seeking the league’s first consecutive MLS Cup since the LA Galaxy in 2011-12.