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| Lionel Messi holding the MLS Landon Donovan MVP Trophy with MLS Commissioner Don Garber photo courtesy of The MLS |
Major League Soccer announced that Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi has been named the 2025 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player, becoming the first player in league history to win the award in consecutive seasons. The 2025 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi winner led the league with 29 goals and 48 total goal contributions in the 2025 regular season. Messi says he thankful for the recognition.
"I’m happy to receive this award and be the first in the history of this league to win it in two consecutive years." Messi says. "I’m very thankful.”
Messi’s historical regular
season finished with 48 goal contributions (29 goals, 19 assists) across 28
matches in 2025, the second-most in a single season in league history,
including at least three contributions in nine matches – also a league record.
He is the only player in league history to record at least 36 goal
contributions in a season multiple times (2024, 2025) and is the second player
in MLS annals to lead the league in both goals
scored (29) and assists (19), joining Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco in 2015
(22 goals, 16 assists).
The Argentine World Cup-winner also produced multiple scoring milestones en route to winning the 2025 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi. His 29 goals were the fourth-most in a season in league history despite only appearing in 28 regular season contests. Messi also became the first player in MLS history to record 10 multi-goal games in a single season, breaking the previous record of eight shared by Stern John (Columbus Crew, 1998), Mamadou Diallo (Tampa Bay Mutiny, 2000), and Zlatan Ibrahimović (LA Galaxy, 2019). He recorded multiple goals in five consecutive games from May 28 to July 12, becoming the first player in MLS history to have a multi-goal streak of more than four matches and scoring 10 goals over the stretch. Messi says he is happy for the award, but his teammates played a major role in his success.
"It’s always nice to receive individual awards, but I want to share it with my teammates," Messi says." I was also fortunate to win the MLS Golden Boot thanks to the help of my teammates."
Messi’s dominance in the 2025 regular season resulted in three MLS Player of the Month honors and six different MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra honors. He became the first player in league history to win six Player of the Matchday honors in consecutive seasons and only the third to take home three Player of the Month awards in the same season, joining Carlos Vela in 2019 and Chris Wondolowski in 2012. In his MLS career, Messi has two Landon Donovan MLS MVPs, two MLS Best XI selections, two MLS All-Star selections, an MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi, 12 MLS Player of the Matchday honors, and five MLS Player of the Month honors.
One of the most decorated players in the history of the sport, Messi joined Inter Miami in July 2023 and quickly made his mark in the league, helping the Herons win Leagues Cup 2023 before leading the club to an MLS-best 74 points en route to the Supporters’ Shield title in 2024. Messi’s 15 goal-contributions (six goals, nine assists) across the 2025 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs helped the Herons earn their first MLS Cup presented by Audi trophy. Messi earned Landon Donovan MLS MVP honors that year after totaling 20 goals and 16 assists in 19 matches. Messi’s list of personal accolades also includes the 2022 FIFA World Cup title, a record eight Ballon d’Or titles, three The Best FIFA Men’s Player awards, and two FIFA World Cup Golden Balls – making him the only player to win the award twice. He has also claimed three UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Awards, six European Golden Shoes, six La Liga Best Player recognitions, eight Pichichi Trophies (given to the top goal scorer in La Liga), and 15 Argentine Footballer of the Year awards.
Messi is the first player in league history to earn the Landon Donovan MLS MVP award in consecutive seasons and the second player to win it twice, joining Preki (1997 and 2003). He is only the fourth player in the last decade to be named MVP and win the MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi in the same season.