Lionel Messi has done it again. The Inter Miami CF star was named the 2025 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player, becoming the first player in league history to win the award in back-to-back seasons. Then he finished the job on the biggest stage, guiding Miami to its first MLS Cup with a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps. It’s the kind of one-two punch only a few athletes in any sport ever deliver: unmatched brilliance across the year, and a championship to seal it.

This is not just another trophy for Messi. It is a turning point for a club and a league. Inter Miami are now champions. MLS has its most famous player setting records almost every month. And the bar for greatness in North America has moved again.

Back-to-Back MLS MVP: Why It Matters

The MVP award in MLS is a big deal. It’s named after Landon Donovan and has been given out since 1996. Only one player had ever won it twice before this era: Preki, in 1997 and 2003. Messi is now the second two-time winner, but he is the first to do it in consecutive years. That is the headline and the history.

Voting came from media, players, and clubs, and Messi won by a wide margin. He cleared 70% overall and topped 80% in the media share, beating other finalists Anders Dreyer, Denis Bouanga, Evander, and Sam Surridge. In short, there was broad respect for what he did, not just buzz.

“Back-to-back MVPs in MLS? That’s not a trend. That’s a standard.”

The Numbers Behind the Crown

If you want to see why the vote was so clear, look at the stat sheet. Messi scored 29 goals and added 19 assists in 28 regular season games. That’s the 2025 Golden Boot and a total of 48 goal contributions. Only Carlos Vela has had more in a single MLS season.

The records kept falling, too. Across 2024 and 2025, Messi became the first player ever to record at least 36 goal contributions in multiple seasons. He logged 10 multi-goal games in one year, breaking the old record of eight. He scored two or more in five straight matches. And he had at least three goal contributions in nine straight games. These are not normal runs. They are streaks you tell your kids about.

• Golden Boot: 29 goals in 28 games
• 48 goal contributions in 2025 (second most all-time)
• 10 multi-goal matches in a single season (new record)
• Five straight multi-goal games (new record)
• Nine straight games with 3+ goal contributions (new record)

“29 goals in 28 games in year three? That’s not hype. That’s control.”

From Shield to Cup: Inter Miami’s Rise to the Top

Since Messi arrived in mid-2023, Inter Miami have gone from a young project to a true power. The timeline tells the story:

• 2023: Leagues Cup title
• 2024: Supporters’ Shield for the most regular season points
• 2025: MLS Cup champions for the first time

In 2025, Miami actually finished third in the Eastern Conference. That helped keep the pressure real. But in the playoffs, they grew stronger. And in the MLS Cup final, they handled their moment, beating the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-1. A final asks a simple question: can your best player rise while the team stays calm? Miami’s answer was yes.

After the win, Messi summed up the journey in plain words: “The idea was to bring the club to the top, a challenge because it had few years of life. In the Club World Cup we played a worthy role, more than expected. It was a nice experience, but other teams rested.” He wanted to lift Inter Miami, and now they have climbed the mountain.

Dominant in the Playoffs

Regular seasons build the case. Playoffs close it. In the 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs, Messi put up a record 15 goal contributions, with six goals and nine assists. When games got tight, he found the gaps. When Miami needed balance, he supplied the pass before the pass or the finish at the back post. He did not let the pace drop.

There is skill. There is vision. But there is also timing. Messi’s playoff run was about all three.

“Every time Miami needed a play, Messi gave two.”

The MVP Race and Recognition

Anders Dreyer, Denis Bouanga, Evander, and Sam Surridge had fine seasons. Each pushed his club forward. But the MVP race is about the mix of output, impact, and moments. Messi topped the charts in goals, drove chance creation, and delivered in streaks and in crunch time. That is why media, players, and clubs aligned so strongly in the vote.

It also matters that Messi’s excellence translated to trophies. Voters tend to reward winners. Miami lifted silverware, and Messi was at the center of it all.

Records, Legacy, and the Bigger Picture for MLS

What happens next? Messi has a contract with Inter Miami through 2028. That means more time, more records in reach, and more chances for Miami to build on this core. It also means MLS will live in the global spotlight a little longer. That is good pressure for the entire league.

Messi is already an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and a World Cup champion. In MLS, he has shown the same hunger he showed in Europe and with Argentina. The records set across 2024 and 2025 are not just about star power. They are about craft, choices, and consistency. They raise the level. They make defenders think faster and teams plan better. They force growth.

For Inter Miami, the path is now clear: defend the crown and keep evolving. For the rest of the league, the task is to chase and to challenge. Vancouver felt that in the final. Others will feel it next season. This is how a league gets sharper: by facing greatness again and again.

Final Word

Back-to-back MVP. First MLS Cup for Inter Miami. A playoff record book rewritten. In 2025, Lionel Messi didn’t just collect awards. He built a season with weight and proof. He gave Miami a title and MLS a new chapter. The story continues, and the standard has been set.

If this is the new normal, then every game with Inter Miami is a show, and every week is a test. That is how heroes make leagues grow. That is how history keeps moving forward.