World Soccer.—Lionel Messi continues to make history in U.S. soccer. The Argentine forward for Inter Miami won the 2026 MLS Golden Boot after finishing the regular season as the league’s leading scorer—an honor he has earned for the second consecutive year.
With 26 goals in 31 games, the world champion once again demonstrated that his finishing ability remains intact. In addition to claiming the top spot on the scoring leaderboard, he set an unprecedented record: he became the first player in league history to win this award in two consecutive seasons.
The honor confirms the impact Messi has had since his arrival in the United States and adds to a collection of individual accolades that continues to grow at age 39.
Messi Outpaces His Rivals in the Scoring Standings
The Argentine was the star of the Golden Boot race throughout the season. Messi finished the season with a four-goal lead over FC Dallas forward Petar Musa, who ended the season with 22 goals.
Third place went to Sam Surridge of Nashville SC, with 21 goals. Thus, the Inter Miami forward once again claimed the award he had previously won in 2025, when he scored 29 goals.
With this result, Messi also became the sixth player to win the MLS Golden Boot more than once. However, his achievement holds special significance because no one had ever won it in consecutive seasons.
His goals weren’t his only contribution
Although his goals were enough to secure the award, Messi’s influence on Inter Miami’s offensive play was much broader.
During the regular season, he recorded 17 assists, finishing with 43 goal contributions between goals and assists. That figure made him the player with the most direct involvement in goals in the league.
Another notable statistic is that only one of his 26 goals came from the penalty spot. This means he scored 25 goals excluding penalties—the second-best total of its kind in an MLS season, trailing only the 28 he himself scored in 2025.
In addition, he had six games with two or more goals, a figure that placed him among the leaders in that category.
A streak that is already part of MLS history
Messi’s dominance isn’t limited to the last two seasons. Over the past three seasons, he has tallied 75 regular-season goals—one of the best totals recorded over a three-season span in the league.
He also achieved something no other player had ever done: recording at least 40 goal contributions in two consecutive seasons. His 43 direct goal contributions in 2026 add to the numbers he posted the previous year.
On an individual level, the Argentine continues to build an outstanding career in the United States. After winning the Golden Boot in 2025 and 2026, he now has the opportunity to add another award to his collection, as Inter Miami prepares to compete in the MLS Cup playoffs.
The award once again places Messi at the center of the American soccer conversation and confirms that his influence on the league goes far beyond his name: season after season, he continues to make a difference on the field.
