Head and shoulders above his competition in MLS, Lionel Messi is the deserving MVP despite playing in just 19 games. The proof is in the numbers.
Lionel Messi has come to Major League Soccer and delivered. He helped Inter Miami win their first-ever trophy in 2023 with the Leagues Cup, then in 2024, he aided in securing the team’s first Supporters’ Shield. On Friday, Messi will step on the pitch to face Atlanta United in his first MLS playoff game.
Off the field, MLS and Inter Miami have shattered kit sales, attendance, and social media records since Messi’s arrival. On the field, the former Barcelona star has kept his promise of bringing the highest level of soccer possible.
True, Messi is 37, and he’s lost a few steps. Yes, he’s missed a considerable chunk of the MLS season due to injuries or national team duty. To have only played in 19 out of 34 matches is a bit concerning, especially for an MVP candidate. But to have accomplished what he has in that limited time on the pitch makes his season all the more impressive.
Lionel Messi should be the MLS regular season MVP.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
In his 19 appearances during the 2024 season, Messi produced a spellbinding 20 goals and 16 assists. His hat trick in the final match of the season helped secure not just the MLS all-time single season points record for Miami, but it also gave him the most total goal contributions in the league.
MLS golden boot winner Christian Benteke needed 30 total games and over 1,100 minutes more than Messi to amass his league leading 23 goals. Assist leaders Luciano Acosta and Evander needed 2,707 and 2,459 respective minutes to collect their 19 assists. Messi’s 16 came in just 1,485 minutes.
Messi netted close to half of his 43 shots on target, and his output has helped Inter Miami lead the league in both goals and assists in 2024.
Why All the Messi hate?
Aside from the stats, it’s as clear as day that Messi is head and shoulders above the entire league in terms of skill and effectiveness. There is a very credible argument that had Messi played an entire season without injuries, his numbers could have been historic.
But you don’t need speculation to support Messi’s MVP case. In the limited time he spent on the pitch, he still produced the best numbers in the league. It’s that simple.
MLS’s Messi addiction has me rooting for Atlanta United post season success this weekend.
— Denzell (@Denzell_Of_NSH) October 23, 2024
There’s been criticisms that MLS has been too Messi-centric, which is true. The league has oversold its superstar, and at times it seems like a Messi circus. But the reality is: Why would MLS market anyone other than the greatest soccer player the world has ever known, especially when he’s been the league’s best player?
Why turn the focus on clubs and players with less notoriety and global pull? Messi is instrumental in getting people through the door to even watch five minutes of MLS. In his 19 games, Inter Miami won 12, drew six, and lost one. Messi scored or assisted in 14 games on the club’s way to the Supporters’ Shield.
Messi has owned MLS like he has owned basically every competition he has played in. And while he may not have the biggest tally among the rest of his colleagues, his goal and assist ratio is second to none.
And to ease the angry fans who now think MLS is so Messi-centered, with stats like these, is it really hard to argue that Messi deserves the award?
The Total Package
Messi has done everything that has been required of him so far. With the exception of maybe talking to the American media, he has sold kits, scored goals, provided assists, and brought fellow superstar friends to play in the league.
While that shouldn’t be the only reason he deserves to be MVP, it’s the icing on the cake of a legendary season by any other player’s standards. But for Messi, it was just another game.
