Lionel Messi Becomes First Back-to-Back MLS Golden Boot Winner

Lionel Messi made history as the first player to win consecutive MLS Golden Boot awards, finishing the 2026 season with 26 goals for Inter Miami.

Lionel Messi secured the 2026 Major League Soccer Golden Boot with 26 goals across 31 games, making him the first player in league history to win the award in back-to-back seasons. The 39-year-old forward also led the league with 17 assists, totaling 43 goal contributions. Messi finished four goals ahead of FC Dallas striker Petar Musa and five ahead of Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge. This marks the sixth time a player has led the league in scoring during multiple seasons, following Messi's 2025 campaign where he recorded 29 goals and 19 assists.

Inter Miami concluded the regular season on Saturday with a 3-3 draw against Charlotte FC after blowing a 3-0 halftime lead. Ian Fray opened the scoring in the 14th minute off a Messi corner, followed by a Luis Suárez tap-in in the 33rd minute and a Rodrigo De Paul strike in the 42nd. Charlotte responded in the second half with two goals from Liel Abada (50', 55') and a 90th-minute equalizer by Rodolfo Aloko. Despite the draw, Miami finished second in the Eastern Conference with 60 points, securing a spot in the Concacaf Champions Cup for the fourth year in a row.

Nashville SC finished the season with 77 points to break Miami’s 2024 single-season record of 74 points. As the second seed, Inter Miami will hold home-field advantage in a best-of-three first-round playoff series against the seventh-seeded Columbus Crew. Messi, who retired from the Argentina national team last month, remains a front-runner for the 2026 MVP trophy after previously winning the award in 2024 and 2025.