Argentine forward Lionel Messi has concluded his fourth Major League Soccer (MLS) regular season with Inter Miami CF, securing the 2026 MLS Golden Boot award. Messi finished the 2026 campaign at the top of the scoring charts with 26 goals, becoming the first player in MLS history to win back-to-back Golden Boots. He claimed the honor ahead of FC Dallas forward Petar Musa (22 goals) and Nashville SC's Sam Surridge (21 goals).
Beyond the Golden Boot, the Argentine star established several league-wide records throughout the 2026 season. Messi led the league in goals per game (0.87) and overall goal contributions (43), while tying for first in multi-goal games (6) and ranking second in goals per 90 minutes (0.91). Notably, 25 of his 26 goals came from open play or non-penalty scenarios, marking the second-highest non-penalty goal tally in a single MLS season—behind only his own record of 28 non-penalty goals in 2025.
Read nextUsman Khawaja Alleges Pakistani Heritage and Pay Dispute Blocked Australia Captaincy in 2018By scoring 26 goals in 2026 following his 29-goal campaign in 2025, Messi became only the second player in MLS history to record consecutive seasons with at least 25 goals. Over his last three seasons, he has accumulated 75 total goals—the second-highest three-year total in league history—and joins Denis Bouanga (2023–2025) as the only players to score 20+ goals in three straight MLS seasons. Additionally, Messi became the first player to post consecutive seasons with 40+ goal contributions, accumulating a total of 127 goal contributions over the past three seasons, leading his closest competitor, Evander (98), by 29.
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