Lionel Messi becomes first player to win back-to-back MLS MVP honors

Lionel Messi reaffirmed his status as arguably the greatest footballer of all time, guiding Inter Miami to its first-ever MLS Cup title with a 3–1 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps at Chase Stadium in South Florida on Sunday, December 7 (Philippine Standard Time).

The Argentine superstar was named MLS Cup Most Valuable Player (MVP), adding another major trophy to his Inter Miami résumé after winning the 2023 Leagues Cup and the 2024 Supporters’ Shield. The MLS Cup marks the club’s most significant triumph since its founding in 2020 under co-owner and global football icon David Beckham.

Messi, 38, continues to carve new milestones into his legendary career. He was officially named the 2025 MLS MVP, becoming the first player in league history to capture back-to-back MVP awards.

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The Inter Miami captain delivered a dominant individual campaign, finishing the 2025 regular season with a league-best 29 goals and 19 assists. He also became only the second two-time MVP winner in MLS history, joining Preki, who won in 1997 and 2003.

Back to back. 🥇🥇

Lionel Messi is the 2025 MLS MVP. The first to ever do it. pic.twitter.com/ETLFc0hNyh

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 9, 2025

Beckham praised Messi’s relentless drive and transformative impact on the league.

“Leo is a winner. It’s simple as that. And I know that sounds like an easy and an obvious thing to say because of what he has won. There is no player that has probably won what he has won and done it the way he has done it. There is more to what makes him the greatest than just what he does on the field. I think everyone in Miami, everyone around the MLS, has seen what he has done for this league and this city and this country. But he continues to raise that level, and that’s what great players do. Great players always believe that they can win more and raise the level. And that’s what Leo’s doing,” Beckham said.

Messi won the MVP race in overwhelming fashion, securing 70.4 percent of all votes—the highest share since Sebastian Giovinco’s win for Toronto FC in 2015. San Diego’s Anders Dreyer finished a distant second with 11.2 percent, followed by LAFC’s Denis Bouanga (7.3%), Cincinnati’s Evander (4.8%), and Nashville’s Sam Surridge (2.4%).

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner also became only the sixth player in MLS history to capture both the MVP award and MLS Cup championship in the same season. Among the previous five, only Atlanta United’s Josef Martínez completed the rare treble of MVP, MLS Cup, and Golden Boot in one season (2018).

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