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NEW YORK (Saturday, October 18, 2025) – Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi earned the 2025 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi after scoring a league-high 29 goals, the league’s highest goal-scoring total since 2019. Messi bested 2023 MLS Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga of LAFC (24 goals) and Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge (24 goals) to earn the honor.
- Photo assets of the Golden Boot presented by Audi trophy are available HERE
In his second full season in MLS, Messi became the first player in Herons history to earn the MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi and the second Argentine-born player to win the award, joining Valentín ‘Taty’ Castellanos of New York City FC, who scored 19 goals in 2021. Messi is the third player since 2005 to score at least 29 goals in a Golden Boot-winning season, joining Josef Martínez (31 in 2018) and Carlos Vela (34 in 2019), and his 1.03 goals-per-game average is second to only Vela’s 2019 campaign (1.10 goals per game) among Golden Boot winners since 2005. Twenty-eight of Messi’s 29 goals this season came away from the penalty spot, the most in a single season in league history by three goals.
Messi’s magical season contained a multitude of record-setting performances, as the World Cup-winner 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.
In addition to his scoring prowess, Messi has been one of the most impactful contributors in the league’s history, totaling 48 goal contributions 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. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner 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).
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 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’s prolific goal-scoring efforts throughout the 2025 MLS regular season has contributed a total of $55,800 for MLS academies as part of the ‘Audi Goals Drive Progress’ program – a multi-year initiative focused on supporting young players in their endeavors to maintain excellence on and off the pitch. For each goal scored this season, Messi contributed $200 to all MLS academies, while his MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi award secured an additional $50,000 contribution to the Inter Miami CF academy. Since the program began in 2019, ‘Audi Goals Drive Progress’ has expanded the breadth of academy resources by contributing more than $6 million combined towards player education, housing, transportation and player-selected charity organizations. |
