Inter Miami star Lionel Messi seals first MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals in 2025 season

Messi made history as the first Inter Miami player to capture the league’s Golden Boot in his second season and is only the second Argentine to claim the award - following Valentín “Taty” Castellanos, who netted 19 goals for New York City FC in 2021. His 29-goal haul also places him among the most prolific campaigns in league history. Only Josef Martínez (31 in 2018) and Carlos Vela (34 in 2019) have scored more in a Golden Boot-winning season since 2005. Messi’s 1.03 goals per game trail only Vela’s 1.10 from that 2019 campaign, while his 28 non-penalty goals set a new single-season MLS record, surpassing the previous mark by three.

Messi scored his first hat-trick of the season on Decision Day, but he set a new record as the first player in league history to notch 10 multi-goal games. Stern John (Columbus Crew, 1998), Mamadou Diallo (Tampa Bay Mutiny, 2000), and Zlatan Ibrahimović (LA Galaxy, 2019) previously were tied as record holders with eight. 

Messi's 29 league goals rank 10 all-time in his legendary career, with his top one being the 50-goal season he had with Barcelona in the 2011-12 campaign. 

Messi's 48 goal contributions (29 goals, 19 assists) this season ranks second in MLS history, just behind Carlos Vela's dominant 2019 season - where he had 34 goals and 15 assists. He's also the second player to lead the league in scoring and assists, following Sebastian Giovinco's 22 goals and 15 assists season in 2015.  

Inter Miami kick off their best of three series against Nashville SC on Friday.