Inter Miami star Lionel Messi named MLS MVP after leading Herons to Supporters' Shield win

Lionel Messi clinched his first MLS MVP award, the league announced Friday morning. The Argentine scored 20 goals and added 16 assists in just 20 regular season games for the Herons, despite playing less than 1,500 minutes on the season. It concludes a record-setting campaign for Miami, who set the regular season points record, with 74.

They lost just one regular season game with Messi in the side, tallying a 12-1-6 record when the Argentine was involved.

The Landon Donovan MLS MVP is determined by a combined voting from players, clubs and media. Messi averaged 38.43 percent across the three groups. The voting was somewhat close, though, as Columbus Crew's Cucho Hernandez finished in second with 33.70 percent.

Although the Herons dominated the regular season, playoff success proved elusive. Miami were bounced in the first round of the competition by Atlanta United, losing the best-of-three series, 2-1.

Messi averaged 2.18 goal contributions per 90 minutes in the 2024 regular season, a new league record. His mark of 36 goal contributions is fifth in league history.

The Argentine will have to watch from afar as New York Red Bulls take on LA Galaxy in MLS Cup this weekend. He will return to Miami, alongside former Barcelona teammates Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez, in 2025.

Miami announced last week that Javier Mascherano - another former teammate of Messi's - will coach the side next year after Tata Martino stepped down.