Miami star Lionel Messi named MLS MVP, sets goal-scoring mark

Lionel Messi was named winner of the Landon Donovan MVP Award for the 2024 MLS season Friday, beating out the Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernández, the Portland Timbers’ Evander, Christian Benteke from D.C. United and his Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez.

Messi, 37, received due to his 20 targets and 16 appearances in simply 19 matches.

He joins Carlos Vela in 2019 (LAFC, 34 targets, 15 assists) and Sebastian Giovinco in 2015 (Toronto FC, 22 targets, 16 assists) as the one gamers in league historical past with at the least 20 targets and 15 assists in a single season.

The MVP award is set by a ballot that features gamers, membership technical employees and chosen members of the media. Messi obtained 38.43% of the votes averaged in comparison with second-place finisher Benteke (33.70%).

This was his first full season with the membership, having joined in July 2023.

MLS commissioner Don Garber made the announcement Friday alongside Inter Miami Academy college students and Messi’s three sons in a video.

“Actually, it’s an honor for me to obtain this award from all of you,” Messi stated to the Academy gamers. “It is a supply of delight to observe you all practice. I am very pleased to be right here daily. I am very pleased to be on this metropolis, on this Membership that’s rising. It is a pleasure to see you develop day-to-day. I invite you to maintain preventing and striving on your desires.”

The Miami captain received the award regardless of enjoying in solely 55% of aggressive matches of the 34-game common season. He missed 62 days between June 1 and Sept. 14 with an ankle harm sustained throughout Argentina’s win over Colombia within the Copa América closing.

Throughout this time, the Herons performed properly, profitable eight of 9 video games with out him.

The award considers a participant’s contributions and affect on the pitch at a minimal of 1,000 minutes performed within the common season, which is the league requirement for an MVP nomination.

Per FotMob, Messi averaged a couple of purpose each 90 minutes, which led the league. In 1,485 minutes, Messi averaged 2.18 purpose contributions per match, which is a league file, in accordance with MLS.

The MLS MVP trophy is one more entry on the absurdly lengthy record of profession honors for Messi. He is an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, eight-time FIFA participant of the yr winner, a seven-time LaLiga MVP, previous UEFA participant of the yr, previous Champions League participant of the season, World Cup golden ball winner, Membership World Cup golden ball winner, and the record goes on from there.

“Until you are residing on this planet of world soccer, it is exhausting to think about the general enchantment and the large reputation and stardom that Leo Messi has,” Garber stated. “I imply, he’s Michael Jackson assembly Taylor Swift — and he is enjoying in our league.”

His numbers and affect on the pitch helped Inter Miami win the Supporters’ Defend and set the single-season factors file this season with 74 factors. Regardless of its robust common season — incomes the No. 1 seed for the postseason — Inter Miami misplaced to Atlanta United within the first spherical of the playoffs, ending their 2024 marketing campaign in a disappointing method.

In November, Gerardo “Tata” Martino, who had taken the teaching function in June of 2023, resigned for private causes. Miami named Javier Mascherano — a former Barcelona and Argentina teammate and good friend of Messi — to switch Martino.

The MLS Cup closing is on Saturday in Carson, California, the place the LA Galaxy host the New York Pink Bulls. The Galaxy look to win a file sixth Cup, whereas the Pink Bulls search their first.

Data from The Related Press was used on this report.