Messi Makes History: First Player to Clinch Back-to-Back MLS Golden Boots

Lionel Messi has achieved a historic milestone in Major League Soccer, becoming the first player to win consecutive Golden Boot awards. This remarkable feat comes as his club, Inter Miami, secured a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference.

In a dramatic final day of the regular season on Saturday, Inter Miami played to a 3-3 draw against Charlotte at Miami’s Nu Stadium. Although Messi did not find the back of the net, he provided crucial assists for the first two goals, both from corners, which helped ensure his team would have home advantage for the initial rounds of the playoffs.

Inter Miami's first-half goals came from Ian Fray, Luis Suarez, and Rodrigo De Paul. Charlotte mounted a comeback after the break with a brace from Liel Abada, before Rodolfo Aloko netted a late equalizer.

Meanwhile, Nashville, the dominant force in the league, shattered the all-time MLS points record for a season, accumulating 77 points after defeating Cincinnati 2-0. Their record of 23 wins, 3 losses, and 8 draws saw them win the East, surpassing the previous mark of 74 points set by Miami in 2024.

Inter Miami finished second in the East with 60 points. Third-place New England missed an opportunity to overtake Miami, suffering a surprising 1-0 loss to Orlando, ending their season on 58 points.

Messi's influence was evident early in the match against Charlotte. His 14th-minute corner inadvertently set up Charlotte’s Luca de la Torre, whose deflection allowed Fray to score the opening goal. In the 33rd minute, another Messi corner found Suarez, who headed it in for a 2-0 lead. De Paul extended the advantage before halftime.

Abada pulled one back for Charlotte shortly after halftime and scored his second in the 55th minute. Aloko then equalized in the 90th minute, reacting quickest to a rebound off the post from Smalls’s shot.

Messi himself hit the post in stoppage time, and Aloko came close to snatching an unlikely winner with a powerful shot that struck the outside netting.

With 26 goals this season, Messi's performance was sufficient to secure his second consecutive Golden Boot. Petar Musa of Dallas finished second with 22 goals. Messi’s 26 goals mark the second consecutive year he has scored at least 25 goals, a feat achieved by only one other player in league history.

The 39-year-old Argentinian superstar, who recently concluded an extensive 21-year international career, has extended his contract with Inter Miami through 2028. Inter Miami, the reigning MLS Cup champions from the 2025 season, are set to begin their playoff campaign on November 19 against Columbus. Other Eastern Conference playoff matchups include New England vs. Philadelphia, Charlotte vs. Chicago, and top seed Nashville vs. the winner between Orlando and Cincinnati.