Thirty-nine years old, and the league is still chasing him. Lionel Messi closed the MLS regular season on Saturday with 26 goals — enough to take the 2026 Golden Boot and become the first player in the league’s 30-year history to win it in consecutive seasons.

The numbers behind the repeat

Messi did not even score on Decision Day. Inter Miami threw away a 3-0 lead to draw 3-3 with Charlotte, but his corners built the first two goals, and the race was already over: FC Dallas striker Petar Musa finished second on 22, Nashville’s Sam Surridge third on 21. Add 17 assists and Messi’s 43 goal contributions lead the league — making him the first player ever to post 40+ goal contributions in back-to-back seasons. Only one of the 26 goals came from the penalty spot; his 25 non-penalty goals are the second-highest single-season mark in MLS history, behind only his own 28 from 2025. He is the sixth player to win the Boot twice, and the only one to do it back-to-back.

What comes next

Miami finished second in the East on 60 points — Nashville took the conference and broke the all-time MLS points record with 77 — and the defending champions open their playoff run against Columbus Crew in a best-of-three. The bigger individual question lands later: Messi is the favorite for a third straight Landon Donovan MVP award, something no player has ever won even twice in a row before him. The playoffs start November 19.

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