Inter Miami CF Forward Lionel Messi Named 2024 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player

The Argentine becomes first player in club history to earn the league’s highest individual honor after leading Inter Miami to an MLS single-season points record and Supporters’ Shield

Major League Soccer today announced that Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi has been named the 2024 Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player after leading Miami to the best overall MLS regular season record, its first-ever Supporters’ Shield, and the MLS single-season points record (74).

• Download photos, videos, and quotes from the MVP presentation here.
• Download Lionel Messi media assets from the 2024 season here.

Messi concluded the 2024 MLS regular season with a league-leading 36 goal contributions (20 goals, 16 assists), which was the fifth-most in a single season league history despite only playing in 1,485 minutes. Messi averaged 2.18 goal contributions per 90 minutes this season, which is the best goal contributions per 90 minutes in MLS history. The Miami captain joined Carlos Vela in 2019 (LAFC, 34 goals, 15 assists) and Sebastian Giovinco in 2015 (Toronto FC, 22 goals, 16 assists) as the only players in MLS history with at least 20 goals and 15 assists in a single season. In his 19 MLS appearances this season, the forward produced a goal or assist in 15 of those contests and had multiple goal contributions 11 different times.

Messi’s brilliance was instrumental for a team that set the MLS single-season points record (74) with a dramatic comeback victory on Decision Day. Miami only lost one regular season game with Messi in the lineup, going 12-1-6 and averaging 2.68 goals per game in those matches. Along with the MLS points record, the club became the third team in league history to win 22 matches in a regular season and the first to record at least 11 wins at home and 11 wins on the road (excluding the shootout era).

The Argentine forward earned several individual league awards in 2024, as he was named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra six times (Matchdays 9, 11, 12, 32, 36, and 38) and MLS Player of the Month twice (April and October). Messi joined Carlos Vela (2019) and Jason Kreis (1999) as the only players in MLS history to earn MLS Player of the Matchday honors six different times in a single season.

As the Supporters’ Shield winners, Inter Miami qualified to compete in the 2025 Concacaf Champions Cup, marking the second-straight season the team will participate in the competition.

Messi is the first player in Inter Miami history to be named Landon Donovan MLS MVP and is the 10th South American-born player to earn the honor. He joins Luciano Acosta (FC Cincinnati, 2023), Diego Valeri (Portland Timbers, 2017), Guillermo Barros Schelotto (Columbus Crew, 2008), and Christian Gómez (D.C. United, 2006) as the fifth Argentine in MLS history to win the award. Only the United States (eight) has had more Landon Donovan MLS MVP winners than Argentina in the award’s history.

Messi finished ahead of Columbus Crew forward Cucho Hernández, Portland Timbers midfielder Evander, D.C. United’s Christian Benteke, and fellow Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez to take home the award.

The Landon Donovan MLS MVP award has been presented since 1996 to the individual determined by a poll of players, club technical staff, and select media to be the most valuable to his club. Below is a breakdown of the voting results for this year:

Photo Credit: Inter Miami CF Communications.

A full list of Landon Donovan MLS MVP winners can be found below: