5 Incredible MLS Records Lionel Messi Could Realistically Smash in 2026
- Lionel Messi heads into the new Major League Soccer season with momentum after transforming Inter Miami CF since his 2023 arrival
- The Argentine has already delivered major silverware and back-to-back MVP honours while becoming the club’s leading scorer and creator in league play
- With his scoring consistency and influence still at an elite level, 2026 could mark another historic chapter in his MLS journey
Major League Soccer returns this weekend, and once again the spotlight will fall on Lionel Messi, who heads into the 2026 campaign with several significant records firmly within his reach.
Since arriving in the United States in 2023 to join Inter Miami CF, Messi has reshaped the trajectory of the franchise and elevated the league’s global profile.
Source: Getty Images
He wasted little time making history, guiding Inter Miami to theclub's first-ever trophy by dramatically winning the 2023 Leagues Cup.
The following season, he inspired the club to capture the Supporters’ Shield after a record-breaking regular season points haul, underlining their transformation into genuine contenders.
On an individual level, Messi has dominated MLS, claiming back-to-back MVP awards while becoming Inter Miami’s leading scorer and assist provider in league competition.
YEN.com.gh has taken a closer look at the Inter Miami superstar and identified five MLS records he could realistically break this season.
First player to win three MLS MVP awards
Messi has already secured the MLS MVP award in each of the last two seasons, becoming the first player in league history to win it in consecutive campaigns.
In doing so, he joined the exclusive company of Preki as the only player to have lifted the honour twice. Preki achieved the feat in 1997 and 2003, but not in successive years.
If Messi were to win the MVP award again in 2026, he would stand alone as the first player ever to claim it three times.
Achieving that milestone in three consecutive seasons would further underline his sustained excellence and dominance in the league, especially given the competitive balance that MLS prides itself on.
Back-to-back Golden Boot awards
Another record within Messi’s sights is one that, remarkably, no player has ever achieved in MLS history — winning the Golden Boot in consecutive seasons.
Although five players have won the Golden Boot twice, none managed to defend their title the following year. Those players are Preki, Taylor Twellman, Jeff Cunningham, Chris Wondolowski and Bradley Wright-Phillips.
Messi captured the Golden Boot last season with an impressive 29 goals. If he can replicate or surpass that tally this year, he would become the first player to successfully defend the scoring crown, adding another unique achievement to his MLS résumé.
Highest-scoring Argentine player in MLS history
This particular record presents a tougher challenge but remains achievable over the course of the season.
Currently, Diego Valeri holds the distinction as the highest-scoring Argentine in MLS history, having netted 93 goals in 288 appearances. That total places him 16th on the league’s all-time scoring list.
Heading into 2026, Messi has scored 57 MLS goals. That leaves him needing 36 more to draw level with Valeri’s mark. While it would require a prolific campaign, Messi’s scoring rate since joining Inter Miami suggests that closing the gap is not out of the question if he maintains his current trajectory.
Messi's 100-goal contributions in MLS
Messi is already Inter Miami’s all-time leader in goals and assists in league play, having recorded 50 goals and 28 assists. That brings him to 78 direct goal contributions.
Reaching the 100 mark in combined goals and assists would make him the first player in the club’s history to hit that milestone in MLS competition. Given his creative influence and finishing ability, surpassing that figure during the 2026 season appears well within reach.
Source: Getty Images
Most hat-tricks in MLS history
One of the more ambitious targets concerns the league’s all-time hat-trick record. As it stands, Messi has scored two hat-tricks in MLS for Inter Miami. The record is currently held by Josef Martínez, who has seven.
That leaves Messi five short of matching the benchmark. While breaking the record would require an exceptional run of form, it is not entirely unrealistic.
The last time Messi produced five hat-tricks in a single calendar year was in 2018 during his prolific spell with FC Barcelona.
If he can rediscover anything close to that level of ruthlessness in front of goal, Martínez’s record could come under genuine threat. As MLS kicks off once more, Messi enters the campaign not just as its biggest star but as a player poised to redefine its record books yet again.
Messi confronts referee
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that footage has gone viral showing football legend Lionel Messi attempting to confront the referee following Inter Miami’s heavy defeat to Los Angeles FC.
On Saturday, Inter Miami kicked off the 2026 Major League Soccer campaign against LAFC at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Source: YEN.com.gh
