rewrite this content and keep HTML tags
Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi has been named the 2025 MLS MVP, becoming the first player in league history to secure the award in back-to-back seasons.
He is only the second player ever to win the honor twice, joining Predrag Radosavljevic, who claimed the trophy in 1997 and 2003.
Messi finished the regular season with 29 goals in 28 matches, earning the 2025 Golden Boot and guiding Miami to third place in the Eastern Conference.
He also provided 19 assists. The Argentina star is now the only player in MLS history to reach at least 36 goal contributions in multiple seasons, achieving the feat in both 2024 and 2025.
In the playoffs, he added six goals and nine assists as Inter Miami lifted their first MLS Cup with a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps on December 6.
Messi won the MVP vote with 70.43% of the overall tally, finishing ahead of fellow finalists Anders Dreyer, Denis Bouanga, Evander and Sam Surridge. The voting is split between media, players and clubs.
He received 83.05% of the media vote, 55.17% from players and 73.08 % from clubs.
Since arriving in the summer of 2023, Messi has helped Miami win the inaugural Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters’ Shield, and set a league record for most points in a season, culminating in this year’s MLS Cup triumph.
On a personal level, he has collected the 2023 Newcomer of the Year award, the 2025 Golden Boot, and now consecutive MVP honours in 2024 and 2025.
