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The Argentine star Lionel Messi, at the age of 38, officially became the first player to win the MVP (Most Valuable Player) award from Major League Soccer (MLS) in consecutive seasons, after being announced this Tuesday as the winner of the Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player 2025.
According to the club's website, "The Flea" received the trophy during the opening of his Messi Cup, a youth tournament that he himself initiated and in which he wanted to include children as part of the moment. "None of this would have been possible without my teammates," he expressed upon receiving the award, highlighting the collective effort behind his extraordinary achievements.
An unprecedented dominance in the MLS
The captain of Inter Miami has signed one of the best seasons in the history of the league: 29 goals, 19 assists, and 48 goal contributions in 28 matches, the second-highest figure recorded in MLS.
Additionally, he won the Golden Boot 2025, was selected for the MLS Best XI, and set several records, including:
First player in MLS history with 10 multi-goal games in a single season
First player with three Player of the Month awards in the same year since 2019
The only footballer with more than 36 goal contributions in multiple seasons (2024, 2025)
Messi also led Inter Miami to its first MLS Cup title, where he recorded 6 goals and 9 assists —15 contributions, a new record for a postseason— during the club's historic run.
A career in MLS marked by immediate impact
Since his arrival in 2023, Messi has completely transformed the reality of Inter Miami and MLS. With him, the club won the 2023 Leagues Cup, the 2024 Supporters' Shield, and now the MLS championship. In his MVP season of 2024, he had already amassed 20 goals and 16 assists in just 19 matches.
The Argentine adds this achievement to an unparalleled collection of awards:
8 Ballon d'Ors
3 The Best FIFA awards
6 European Golden Boots
World Champion 2022
The only player with two Golden Balls from a World Cup
He is now the first consecutive two-time MVP in history and only the second player to win the award twice in the entire history of MLS, alongside Preki (1997, 2003).
The vote and the finalists
Messi surpassed Anders Dreyer (Newcomer of the Year), Denis Bouanga (LAFC), Evander (FC Cincinnati), and Sam Surridge (Nashville SC) in the voting. The award, presented since 1996, is voted on by technical staff from the clubs, accredited journalists, and active players in MLS.
With this new milestone, Messi continues to elevate his legacy and solidify a stage in American soccer that, at 38 years old, remains historically productive.
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