26 Goals Secure Lionel Messi's Historic Back-to-Back MLS Scoring Title
Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi became the first player in Major League Soccer history to win consecutive Golden Boot awards after finishing the regular season on Saturday with a league-high 26 goals. The 39-year-old forward’s scoring title caps a campaign across 31 matches, securing top individual honors for Inter Miami as football analysts and league officials track team preparations for the upcoming postseason.
Messi’s 26-Goal Campaign Outpaces Chasers Petar Musa and Sam Surridge
Messi secured the scoring title ahead of FC Dallas forward Petar Musa, who finished second with 22 goals, and Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge, who recorded 21. The performance follows a 29-goal campaign the previous season, making the former Argentina international just the second player in MLS history to score at least 25 goals in back-to-back years. The award comes after he signed a contract extension through 2028 with Inter Miami in October, following his retirement from international football earlier this year after 21 years on the international stage.
Inter Miami finished the regular season second in the Eastern Conference, with the MLS Cup Playoffs scheduled to begin on November 19.
