Lionel Messi wins second MLS golden boot

Sports

By Linda Ikeji
8 November 2026, 12:27 pm

Lionel Messi turned the primary participant to win the MLS Golden Boot in consecutive seasons on Saturday as defending champions Inter Miami completed second within the Eastern Conference after a 3–3 draw with Charlotte on the ultimate day of the common season.

Messi didn’t rating at Nu Stadium however helped arrange Miami’s first two targets from corners. The Argentine completed the season with 26 targets, 4 forward of Dallas ahead Petar Musa, who didn’t rating in his facet’s 3–1 residence win over Colorado.

Miami took the lead within the 14th minute when Charlotte’s Luca de la Torre did not clear a Messi nook and the ball fell to Ian Fray, who opened the scoring. Another Messi nook discovered Luis Suárez unmarked on the close to publish within the thirty third minute, and the Uruguayan glanced his header in to make it 2–0. Rodrigo De Paul added a 3rd earlier than half-time.

Liel Abada pulled a objective again for Charlotte early within the second half and scored once more within the fifty fifth minute. Rodolfo Aloko accomplished the comeback within the ninetieth minute, reacting first after Smalls’s shot got here again off the publish. Messi struck the publish in stoppage time earlier than Aloko got here near a winner with a strong shot that hit the facet netting.

Miami completed with 60 factors, securing residence benefit for the primary two playoff rounds. New England might have taken benefit of the draw however misplaced 1–0 at Orlando and completed third with 58 factors.

Nashville beat Cincinnati 2–0 to high the Eastern Conference and set an MLS regular-season file with 77 factors. Nashville received 23 matches, drew eight and misplaced three, surpassing the earlier file of 74 factors set by Miami in 2024.

Miami will open the playoffs towards Columbus, who beat Chicago 4–3 to complete seventh and keep away from the wild-card spherical. New England will face Philadelphia, Charlotte will play Chicago, and high seed Nashville will meet the winner of the wild-card match between Orlando and Cincinnati.

Western Conference champions Vancouver beat Montreal 2–0 to complete second total. That provides the Whitecaps residence benefit in the event that they meet Inter Miami once more in a rematch of final season’s MLS Cup ultimate.

Six groups entered the ultimate day competing for the final three Western Conference playoff locations. Portland, Colorado and the Los Angeles Galaxy might every have certified with a win, however solely Portland did so, beating Austin 2–0. Real Salt Lake defeated the Galaxy 2–1 and secured a postseason place as Colorado misplaced at Dallas.

Seattle took the opposite obtainable spot with a 2–1 residence win over Los Angeles FC. Albert Rusnák scored within the opening minute and arrange Sebastián Gómez within the thirty first. Eddie Segura pulled one again for LAFC within the 82nd minute. Minnesota beat San Jose 3–1 however, just like the Galaxy, completed one level behind Real Salt Lake.

Vancouver will face the winner of the wild-card match between Seattle and Real Salt Lake. Dallas will play Portland, LAFC will meet St. Louis, and Houston will face San Jose.