Messi is the MLS MVP, even after a season where he missed 15 of Inter Miami’s 34 regular-season matches with injuries or commitments to Argentina’s national team. He factored into a league-high 36 goals — scoring 20, assisting on 16 others — for the highest rate per 90 minutes in MLS history.
FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida — It was a rare instance of Lionel Messi stepping on a soccer field and having no idea what was happening.There they were, more than 250 Inter Miami academy players, a slew of kids lined up at midfield in a formation that spelled out three letters: MVP. And when Messi saw his children, he realized they were holding a trophy.
“Unless you’re living in the world of global football, it’s hard to imagine the overall appeal and the massive popularity and stardom that Leo Messi has,” said MLS Commissioner Don Garber, who was also at Inter Miami’s stadium for the surprise MVP presentation that occurred Wednesday night. “I mean, he is Michael Jackson meeting Taylor Swift — and he’s playing in our league.”
“I would have liked to receive this award in another situation, being able to play the final next Saturday,” Messi said. “But that’s also what football is about, overcoming yourself every day. We had a big dream of being MLS champions this year. It didn’t happen, but next year we’ll come back stronger to try again.”
“Hi Leo, you are my MVP because you have been my idol since I was a child and seeing you here in person every day is truly incredible,” Inter Miami under-19 player Victor Fung told him. “Thank you for giving us so many unforgettable memories ... thank you for everything.” The 37-year-old Messi is under contract through the end of the 2025 season, and Inter Miami has made no secret that it wants him to remain into at least 2026 — when the club plans to open a new stadium near Miami International Airport.
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