Lionel Messi has played his first full season in Major League Soccer (MLS) with Inter Miami. In his debut season, he led the team to win the Supporters’ Shield and was named MLS Player of the Year. Yesterday, the league announced Messi as the winner of the ‘Landon Donovan Most Valuable Player’ award.
Due to injuries, Messi wasn’t able to play the entire season. He missed several matches due to foot pain, muscle strain, national team commitments with Argentina, and an ankle injury he sustained during the Copa America final.
Out of the 34 MLS matches in the 2024 season, Messi played 19. He scored 20 goals and provided 16 assists. His team, Miami, finished the regular season with a record 74 points, earning the highest points and winning the Supporters’ Shield.
Although Miami’s playoff run ended early, their top position in the conference standings secured them a spot in next year’s Club World Cup.
Despite being named Player of the Year, Messi expressed disappointment over not winning the championship, saying, “I would have liked to receive this award under different circumstances, during Saturday’s final. We had big dreams for this MLS season, but it didn’t happen. Next season, we will come back stronger and try again.” The league’s final on Saturday will feature LA Galaxy and New York Red Bulls.
Messi became the first player in Inter Miami’s history to win the MLS Player of the Year award, which is determined by votes from players, media, and clubs. He received the most votes, with 38.43%. Kucho Hernández came in second with 33.70%, and Messi’s teammate Luis Suárez received 2.17%. Messi was also named Player of the Week six times and Player of the Month twice during the 2024 season.
The award, named after former U.S. football star Landon Donovan in 2015, has been given since 1996. Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 and scored 11 goals in 14 matches during his first season. He also assisted 5 goals, leading the team to win the Leagues Cup, which was the club’s first-ever trophy under the ownership of David Beckham.
