Lionel Messi wins his second consecutive league MLS MVP award for Inter Miami

After capping off an excellent season by winning the MLS Cup on Saturday, Lionel Messi has been named the MLS MVP for the second consecutive season. Messi just completed a season with the second most goal contributions in league history with 48 from 29 goals and 19 assists, while also becoming the second player in league history to lead the league in both goals and assists alongside Sebastian Giovinco. 

Messi has capped off one of the most successful seasons in league history and been rewarded with another MVP award. No player has ever won the award in consecutive years, while Preki is the only player to win the award twice. Preki did it in 1997 and 2003, a very different era than this current iteration of MLS, during which the talent level of both youth players and stars in the league are growing.

Becoming the first player to have 10 multi-goal games in a season and also only failing to register a goal or an assist in five of 28 games played during the season, Messi was the picture of consistency at 38 years old. Messi has at least finished as an MVP finalist every season since coming to Miami from PSG in 2023, and in only 53 regular season appearances during his career has already scored 50 goals and assisted 35 more.

This season, Messi takes the award, finishing ahead of Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC, Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC, Evander of FC Cincinnati, and San Surridge of Nashville SC. Taking home more than 70% of the total vote, which included media, players, and club officials, it was a landslide victory for the Argentine number 10. 

He'd ride that form into setting more records during the postseason with 15 goal contributions, scoring six goals and assisting nine more while his Herons would go on to defeat the Vancouver Whitecaps for their first MLS Cup in their history. Messi has already brought three pieces of silverware to Miami, and with him signing an extension to play through 2028, he'll be along to provide more while also entering next seaon as the favorite yet again to lift the MVP award.

It will be a season of change for Miami following the retirement of Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets, but co-owner Jorge Mas has already promised that he'll reload, and with players like Rodrigo De Paul joining the band, there's no reason to doubt that assertion. With the Herons moving to a new home stadium, as Miami Freedom Park is set to open next season, they'll be set for more success, as Messi has shown that he can accomplish whatever he puts his mind to, but that he can also take the club to new levels that they may have never dreamed of. If that's not an MVP, I don't know what is.