Lionel Messi wins the MLS Golden Boot 2026, becomes first player to win consecutive Golden Boots

Lionel Messi has become the first player in Major League Soccer (MLS) history to win the Golden Boot in consecutive seasons after finishing as the league’s top scorer for the 2026 campaign.

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The Inter Miami captain secured the 2026 Golden Boot after scoring 26 goals in 31 regular-season appearances, finishing ahead of FC Dallas forward Petar Musa, who scored 22 goals, and Nashville SC striker Sam Surridge, who managed 21.

The achievement makes Messi the first player to win the award in back-to-back seasons.

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The Argentine last season, claimed the award in 2025 after scoring 29 goals in 28 appearances, making him only the second player in MLS history to score at least 25 goals in two consecutive seasons.

Messi also finished the 2026 campaign with 17 assists, giving him 43 goal contributions. He led the league in that category and recorded 6 matches in which he scored more than once.

Despite scoring 3 fewer goals than he did in 2025, Messi maintained his place at the top of the MLS scoring chart, extending his remarkable impact since joining Inter Miami.

He is also the sixth player in MLS history to win the Golden Boot more than once, joining Preki, Taylor Twellman, Jeff Cunningham, Chris Wondolowski and Bradley Wright-Phillips.

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The 2026 award adds to Messi’s growing list of individual honours in the United States. He previously won the Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player award in 2024 and 2025.

Inter Miami finished the regular season second in the Eastern Conference and will face Columbus Crew in the first round of the 2026 MLS Cup Playoffs.