Argentina and Inter Miami’s star forward Lionel Messi was named the 2024 Landon Donovan Major League Soccer (MLS) Most Valuable Player on Friday.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner claimed his first MLS MVP award following an extraordinary season with Inter Miami. The 37-year-old scored 20 goals and provided 16 assists in just 20 regular-season games for the Herons. His 36 goal contributions marked the fifth-highest single-season total in MLS history.
With Messi’s presence, Inter Miami secured a record 74 points during the regular season. The team lost only one match when Messi played, achieving 12 wins, six draws, and a single defeat.
The Landon Donovan MLS MVP award, established in 1996, is decided through a poll involving players, club technical staff, and media to honor the player deemed most valuable to their team.
Messi became the fifth Argentine to win the MLS MVP award, surpassing competition from Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández. Messi claimed 38.43% of the votes, while Hernández finished second with 33.70%. Messi earned this accolade in his first full MLS season after joining Inter Miami in July 2023.
In a record-breaking campaign, Messi averaged 2.18 goal contributions per 90 minutes — the highest in MLS history. However, despite their dominance in the regular season, Inter Miami’s playoff campaign ended early, with a 2-1 best-of-three series loss to Atlanta United in the first round.
Looking ahead, Messi will return to MLS next season alongside Jordi Alba, Sergio Busquets, and Luis Suárez. The club has also announced that former FC Barcelona player Javier Mascherano will take over as head coach following Tata Martino’s resignation.