Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi has made history by becoming the first player to win the Major League Soccer (MLS) Golden Boot award in consecutive seasons, despite failing to find the back of the net in his side’s dramatic 3-3 draw against Charlotte FC on the final day of the regular season.
The Argentine captain finished the campaign with an impressive 26 goals, securing his second consecutive Golden Boot award and further cementing his status as one of the biggest stars in MLS history.
Although Messi did not score in Saturday’s encounter at Nu Stadium, he played a crucial role in Miami’s attacking display, providing assists for the team’s opening two goals, both from corner kicks.
The result saw the defending champions finish second in the Eastern Conference with 60 points, securing home-field advantage for the first two rounds of the MLS playoffs.
Dallas forward Petar Musa finished second in the Golden Boot standings with 22 goals after failing to score in his side’s 3-1 victory over Colorado.
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Dramatic Draw as Charlotte Fight Back
Inter Miami appeared to be cruising towards a comfortable victory after taking a commanding three-goal lead in the first half.
Ian Fray opened the scoring in the 14th minute following a Messi corner that fell awkwardly to Charlotte’s Luca de la Torre, whose attempted clearance created the opportunity for Fray to finish.
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Messi was again instrumental in the 33rd minute when another corner found Luis Suarez unmarked at the near post. The Uruguayan striker made no mistake, directing his header into the net to double Miami’s advantage.
Rodrigo De Paul added a third goal before the interval, putting the hosts firmly in control.
However, Charlotte returned from the break with renewed determination. Liel Abada pulled one back early in the second half before completing his brace in the 55th minute to reduce the deficit to 3-2.
The visitors completed their remarkable comeback in the 90th minute when Rodolfo Aloko reacted quickest after a shot from Smalls rebounded off the post, firing home the equaliser.
Messi came close to restoring Miami’s lead during stoppage time, striking the post in a frustrating moment for the Argentine. Aloko almost snatched a dramatic winner at the other end, but his powerful effort struck the outside of the net.
Nashville Set New MLS Points Record
Elsewhere, Nashville SC made history by setting a new MLS record for the most points accumulated in a regular season.
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Nashville secured a remarkable 77 points after defeating FC Cincinnati 2-0, finishing the campaign with 23 wins, three defeats and eight draws.
The achievement surpassed the previous record of 74 points set by Inter Miami in 2024.
Nashville finished top of the Eastern Conference, while Inter Miami occupied second place with 60 points.
New England Revolution, who could have benefited from Miami’s dropped points, suffered a surprise 1-0 defeat away to Orlando City and finished third with 58 points.
Inter Miami will now begin their playoff campaign against Columbus Crew, while other Eastern Conference fixtures include New England Revolution against Philadelphia Union and Charlotte FC against Chicago Fire. Nashville will face the winner of the wild-card encounter between Orlando City and FC Cincinnati.
Columbus Crew also secured seventh place following an entertaining 4-3 victory over Chicago, avoiding the wild-card round.
Seattle and Real Salt Lake Secure Western Conference Playoff Spots
In the Western Conference, Vancouver Whitecaps defeated Canadian rivals CF Montréal 2-0 to finish second overall, behind Western Conference champions San Diego FC.
The result also gives Vancouver a home-field advantage should they meet Inter Miami again in a potential rematch of last season’s MLS Cup final.
The final day of the regular season, popularly known as Decision Day, delivered plenty of drama as six teams battled for the remaining three Western Conference playoff positions.
Portland Timbers, Colorado Rapids and LA Galaxy entered the final round knowing that victories would secure their qualification.
However, only Portland succeeded, defeating Austin FC 2-0 to book their place in the postseason.
Real Salt Lake produced one of the day’s biggest results, defeating LA Galaxy 2-1 to secure qualification at the expense of the California side and Colorado Rapids, who suffered a 3-1 defeat against Dallas.
Seattle Sounders claimed the remaining playoff position with a 2-1 victory over Los Angeles FC.
Albert Rusnák opened the scoring in the first minute before providing the assist for Sebastian Gómez’s goal in the 31st minute. Eddie Segura pulled one back for LAFC in the 82nd minute, but Seattle held on for the important victory.
Minnesota United also recorded a 3-1 win over San Jose Earthquakes but narrowly missed out on qualification, finishing one point behind Real Salt Lake.
The Western Conference playoff matchups will see Vancouver Whitecaps face the winner of the Seattle Sounders and Real Salt Lake wild-card clash, while Dallas take on Portland Timbers. Los Angeles FC will meet St. Louis City, and Houston Dynamo will face San Jose Earthquakes.
With Messi chasing another MLS title and Nashville entering the postseason after a record-breaking regular season, the stage is set for an exciting MLS playoff campaign.
