Lionel Messi wins second consecutive MLS golden boot after 26-goal season

Lionel Messi has claimed the Major League Soccer (MLS) Golden Boot for the second consecutive season after finishing the 2026 regular season as the league's leading goalscorer with 26 goals for Inter Miami.

The Argentine captain secured the prestigious individual award on Saturday despite failing to find the net in Inter Miami's final regular-season fixture, a dramatic 3-3 draw against Charlotte FC at Nu Stadium.

Although Messi was unable to add to his goal tally, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner played a decisive role in the encounter, providing assists for Inter Miami's opening two goals from corner kicks.

His 26-goal achievement makes him the first player in MLS history to win the Golden Boot in consecutive seasons, further strengthening his influence on American football since joining Inter Miami.

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Petar Musa of FC Dallas finished second in the scoring standings with 22 goals, four behind Messi. The Croatian striker was also unable to increase his tally during Dallas' 3-1 victory over Colorado Rapids.

Messi inspires Inter Miami despite Charlotte comeback

Inter Miami appeared to be heading towards a comfortable victory after producing an impressive first-half performance against Charlotte FC.

Ian Fray, Luis Suárez and Rodrigo De Paul all found the back of the net to give the hosts a commanding three-goal advantage before the interval.

However, Charlotte responded strongly after the break, with Liel Abada scoring twice to bring the visitors back into contention.

Rodolfo Aloko subsequently completed the comeback with a late equalizer, leaving Inter Miami frustrated after surrendering their three-goal lead.

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Despite dropping two points, the result was enough to confirm Miami's second-place finish in the Eastern Conference and secure home advantage for the opening two rounds of the MLS playoffs.

Nashville breaks the MLS points record.

Elsewhere, Nashville SC concluded a remarkable regular season by establishing a new Major League Soccer points record.

The Eastern Conference leaders defeated FC Cincinnati 2-0 to finish the campaign with 77 points from 34 matches, recording 23 victories, three defeats and eight draws.

Their achievement surpassed the previous MLS single-season points record of 74, established by Inter Miami in 2024.

Inter Miami finished second in the Eastern Conference with 60 points, while New England Revolution occupied third position with 58 points after suffering a surprising 1-0 defeat against Orlando City.

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Inter Miami prepares for MLS playoff campaign.

With the regular season completed, Inter Miami will now turn their attention to the MLS playoffs, where Messi and his teammates are scheduled to face Columbus Crew in the opening round.

The other Eastern Conference playoff fixtures include New England Revolution against Philadelphia Union and Charlotte FC against Chicago Fire.

Meanwhile, Nashville SC will face the winner of the wild-card encounter between Orlando City and FC Cincinnati.

Columbus Crew secured their place in the main playoff bracket after taking advantage of Cincinnati's defeat, recording an entertaining 4-3 victory over Chicago Fire to finish seventh in the conference and avoid the wild-card round.

For Messi, the latest Golden Boot triumph adds another remarkable individual achievement to his career as he prepares to lead Inter Miami's title challenge in the MLS postseason.