Extending His Legacy, Lionel Messi Wins MLS MVP Award
Soccer Superstar Lio Messi Can’t Stop Winning Personal Awards
Say It With Me, Messi Is MLS MVP!
This Friday, all the main soccer news outlets announced that Lionel Messi, Inter Miami superstar and bonafide soccer “GOAT” won this season’s MLS MVP Award, slightly beating out Columbus Crew striker Cucho Hernandez, his closest competitor by almost 5% of the votes, 38.4% to 34.73%.
The greatest ever has done it again. 👑
Lionel Messi is the 2024 Landon Donovan MLS MVP. pic.twitter.com/Ej2s9rJcO9
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) December 6, 2024
Being surprised by 250 Inter Miami Academy players who lined up in the middle of the youth team’s training field to form the letters M-V-P, Messi, instead of knowing exactly what to do next on the field, took his time walking towards the field where his kids were waiting for him with the Landon Donovan MLS MVP Winner trophy.
Nice move on Inter’s part, not going to lie; as Lio stated it was “Truly, it is an honor for me to receive this award from all of you,” after receiving the award from his kids and fellow academy players.
Introducing the 2024 Landon Donovan @MLS Most Valuable Player – Leo Messi 🏆 Inspirando a la @InterMiamiAcad dentro y fuera de la cancha ✨ pic.twitter.com/UQGnCb41Ht
— Inter Miami CF (@InterMiamiCF) December 6, 2024
By winning this award, the first in his tenure leading the Herons, Messi, who is accustomed to winning personal accolades like it’s kid’s play, becomes the fifth player of Argentine descent to win it after Christian Gomez in 2006, Guillermo Barros Schelotto in 2008, Diego Valeri in 2017, and Luciano Acosta in 2022.
What Made Up Lio’s MVP Season?
Considering this is Messi we’re talking about, it would be very easy to just jump to an obvious conclusion and assume Lio, the obvious betting odds favorite to win, was handed the award.
But come on, give the GOAT a little more respect here.
Even while Inter’s season was cut short after losing to Atlanta United in the playoffs, which promptly started the soccer rumors mill to wind up regarding a coaching change ahead for the team, Messi’s season stats showed he was balling week in and week out.
Lionel Messi’s MVP highlight reel 🤤 pic.twitter.com/SZzkVq7R9L
— B/R Football (@brfootball) December 6, 2024
Scoring a total of 21 goals and assisting in 11 more in 22 MLS games, both in regular and postseason games, Lio led Inter to its best season in history, putting up a league-record 74 points and leading them to win the Supporters’ Shield Trophy, a first for the team.
Also, with Messi on the field as a starter, Miami lost just one regular season game, holding a dominant 2.68 goals scored per game average.
Now, tell me he didn’t make enough of a case to win the MVP award. I dare you.
Undeniable GOAT
Eight Ballon d’Or. Three Best FIFA Men’s Player titles. Nine La Liga MVP awards. Six European Golden Shoe trophies. Eight La Liga Pichichi Nods (top goal scorer in Spain’s First Division League). And now, an MLS MVP Award.
Yes, in case you’re wondering, that’s part of Messi’s award collection throughout his career at FC Barcelona, PSG, and Inter Miami.
No wonder Messi’s net worth is an amount that could help fund a small country or two.
Lionel Messi is the ONLY player in history to have been named the league MVP on 10 occasions:
▪️9 La Liga MVPs
▪️1 MLS MVPThe greatest ever has done it again. 👑
— Pubity Sport (@pubitysport) December 6, 2024
Ever since making his debut in professional soccer, Messi has made winning personal performance awards a regular activity for him as hitting the training pitch to finesse his skills. And from the looks of it, Lio is not close to calling it a career just yet, which means more awards could be coming soon.
For now, let’s let Lio bask in his status as the MLS’ best player while he hopes to lead Inter to his first season title in league history.
