Lionel Messi became the first player in Major League Soccer history to win the Golden Boot in consecutive seasons, despite Inter Miami surrendering a three-goal lead against Charlotte FC in a dramatic 3-3 draw.
The 39-year-old finished the 2026 regular season with 26 goals, retaining the award after scoring 29 last season. He is now the sixth player to win the Golden Boot more than once.
Messi’s scoring record was built largely from open play. He scored 25 non-penalty goals and only one from the spot, giving him the second-highest total of non-penalty goals in a single MLS season, behind his own record of 28 in 2025.
He also provided 17 assists, taking his total goal contributions to 43 and topping that category. Messi is the first player in league history to record at least 40 goal contributions in two successive seasons.
Inter Miami appeared to be cruising at No Stadium after Ian Fray converted a rebound in the 14th minute, following a corner.
Charlotte had briefly thought it had taken an early lead through Liel Abada, but the fourth-minute goal was ruled out after a video review found a handball by Aidan Toklamati in the build-up.
Messi then influenced the second goal when his corner was headed towards goal by German Berterame, allowing Luis Suarez to finish from close range in the 33rd minute. Rodrigo De Paul added a third three minutes before half-time with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area.
Charlotte’s comeback began five minutes after the restart. Abada turned Tyger Smalls’ cross into the net in the 50th minute, then scored again five minutes later after exchanging passes with Pep Biel before finding the far corner.
Messi nearly restored Inter Miami’s control when he tried to lift the ball over the goalkeeper, but Henry Kessler cleared it off the line. Charlotte continued to press and completed the comeback in the 90th minute when Smalls’ shot struck the post and fell to Rodolfo Oluoko, who scored.
Messi hit the post with a stoppage-time effort as Inter Miami searched for victory, but the points were shared.
The result was a repeat of a problem Inter Miami had faced earlier in 2026. On 2 May, they led Orlando City 3-0 after 33 minutes but lost 4-3. Martin Ojeda scored a hat-trick as Orlando recovered, with Tyrese Spicer scoring the winner in the 93rd minute. Orlando became only the fourth team in MLS history to win after trailing by three goals, and the first since 2018.
Inter Miami finished second in the Eastern Conference with 60 points after New England’s 1-0 defeat by Orlando. They will face seventh-placed Columbus Crew in a best-of-three first-round play-off series.
Nashville claimed the Eastern Conference title with 77 points after beating Cincinnati 2-0, surpassing Inter Miami’s record of 74 points from the 2024 regular season.
