Miami (Florida) [US], November 8 (ANI): Argentine football legend Lionel Messi has won the MLS Golden Boot for the second consecutive season after finishing the 2026 regular season with 26 goals, continuing his prolific goalscoring run for Inter Miami as the club prepares to defend its MLS Cup title.
Messi was held scoreless in Inter Miami's final regular-season fixture against Charlotte FC on Saturday, which ended in a 3-3 draw. Miami had established a commanding 3-0 lead at home before Charlotte staged a comeback to secure a point. Despite the result, Messi finished comfortably ahead of his closest competitors in the scoring charts.
FC Dallas forward Petar Musa finished second with 22 goals, followed by Nashville SC's Sam Surridge with 21 and Vancouver Whitecaps' Brian White with 20. Messi scored 29 goals last season, the fourth-highest tally in a single MLS season, and his latest achievement makes him the first player in league history to win consecutive Golden Boot awards.
Not a repeat. A reminder. Back-to-back Golden Boot winner. Congratulations, Leo! 💫 🔗 https://t.co/OcmPzfZV17 https://t.co/ZZW4p8FFe1
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) November 8, 2026
The Argentine's contribution has been central to Inter Miami's attacking strength this season. The club finished the regular season with a league-high 80 goals, with Messi accounting for nearly a third of their total.
Alongside his goalscoring exploits, Messi registered 17 assists, just one behind league leader Pep Biel. He also played 2,664 minutes during the regular season, underlining his continued importance to the team.
Messi attempted 183 shots, the highest tally in the league, with Philadelphia Union's Milan Iloski next on the list with 122. His 76 shots on target were also 25 more than the next closest player, LAFC's Denis Bouanga.
One of Messi's standout performances came in August when he scored four goals in Inter Miami's emphatic 7-1 victory over Montreal.
Inter Miami will now turn its attention to the MLS Cup playoffs as it looks to defend its title. The club finished second in the Eastern Conference behind Nashville SC and will begin its postseason campaign against seventh-seeded Columbus Crew in a best-of-three first-round series.
No team has successfully defended the MLS Cup title since LA Galaxy achieved the feat in 2011 and 2012. On the individual front, Messi is also in contention to win the MLS Most Valuable Player (MVP) award for a third consecutive season. He had previously become the first player to win the honour in successive seasons and could further extend his record.
The MVP award is decided through voting by media representatives, players and club personnel, with goalscoring being one of several factors considered.
Messi's 2026 campaign has also included significant commitments away from club football. He helped Argentina reach the World Cup final, which contributed to his fifth-place finish in the Ballon d'Or voting, before retiring from international football. He also experienced the personal loss of his father.
At 39, Messi continues to remain one of the defining attacking forces in the MLS, with his latest Golden Boot adding another milestone to his illustrious career. Having maintained his goalscoring consistency throughout the regular season, he will now look to carry that form into the playoffs as Inter Miami aim to secure back-to-back MLS Cup titles. (ANI)
