The 2025 Main League Soccer common season is nearing its finish, and the playoff image is regularly coming into focus. Inter Miami are already among the many certified groups, regardless of having a number of matches nonetheless to play. In these remaining video games, Lionel Messi will probably be chasing a historic milestone at present held by Carlos Vela.
Messi is at present the highest scorer in MLS this season with 24 objectives, one forward of LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and two away from Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge. The Argentine ahead reached that tally largely within the second half of the yr, following his return from the FIFA Membership World Cup, with a number of multi-goal performances.
However objectives aren’t Messi’s solely contribution to Inter Miami. He’s additionally been a key playmaker. In that division, he ranks second within the league with 13 assists — tied with FC Cincinnati’s Evander and trailing solely San Diego FC’s Andres Dreyer (16).
These mixed numbers place Messi on the high of the objective contribution leaderboard for the 2025 MLS season. The 38-year-old star has recorded 37 direct objective involvements for the Herons in league play alone. That makes him the primary participant in MLS historical past to surpass 35 objective contributions in back-to-back seasons.
Lionel Messi is the MLS high scorer this season.
Messi chasing Carlos Vela’s file
The 37 objective contributions Messi has this yr tie him with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Josef Martinez on the all-time single-season record in MLS. Nonetheless, all three path Carlos Vela. The Mexican icon holds the all-time file with 49 objective contributions (34 objectives and 15 assists in 2019 with Los Angeles FC).
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That leaves Messi a major hole to shut: Leo wants 12 extra objectives or assists within the the rest of the 2025 common season to match Vela’s mark. With the season winding down, it’s a troublesome problem — however not unimaginable.
Inter Miami maintain a scheduling benefit over most MLS groups: they nonetheless have two video games in hand after postponements as a consequence of their participation within the Membership World Cup and the Leagues Cup. That provides them a complete of 4 remaining matches within the common season. For Messi to match Vela’s file, he’ll must common three objective contributions per sport.
What matches are left for Inter Miami?
The Herons’ 4 remaining common season video games might give Messi the chance to achieve Carlos Vela’s file for many objective contributions in a single MLS season — and in addition enable the group to chase an much more important collective objective.
Seven factors behind Philadelphia Union, Inter Miami nonetheless have an opportunity to shut the hole within the Japanese Convention standings and contend for the Supporters’ Defend, which might be the third official title in membership historical past. Their first check comes Tuesday towards Chicago Fireplace, adopted by a house match on Saturday towards New England Revolution. They’ll then host Atlanta United on October 11 and end the common season away at Nashville SC on October 18.
