Lionel Messi seals back-to-back MLS Golden Boots as Inter Miami surrender 3-0 lead

Lionel Messi became the first player in Major League Soccer history to win the Golden Boot in consecutive seasons, despite Inter Miami throwing away a three-goal lead against Charlotte FC on the final night of the regular season.

Messi, who turned 39, finished the 2026 campaign as the league’s leading scorer with 26 goals. He followed the achievement with 29 goals last season and became only the sixth player to win the award more than once.

His scoring record was not built on penalties. Messi scored 25 goals from open play and converted one penalty, giving him the second-highest total of non-penalty goals in a single MLS season. Only his own record of 28 in 2025 is higher.

The Argentina international also recorded 17 assists, taking his total attacking contributions to 43. He is the first player in MLS history to reach at least 40 goal contributions in two successive seasons.

Charlotte complete dramatic comeback

Messi did not score against Charlotte, but he nearly decided the contest late on after attempting to lift the ball over the goalkeeper. Henry Kessler cleared the effort off the line, while Messi struck the post in stoppage time as Inter Miami searched for a winner.

Inter Miami took the lead in the 14th minute through Ian Fray, who reacted fastest after the ball rebounded inside the area from a corner.

They doubled their advantage in the 33rd minute when Messi’s corner was headed towards goal by German Berterame, allowing Luis Suarez to finish from close range. Rodrigo De Paul then made it 3-0 three minutes before half-time with a powerful strike from outside the penalty area.

Charlotte had briefly thought it had taken the lead in the fourth minute through Liel Abada, but the goal was ruled out after a video review found a handball by Aidan Toklamati earlier in the move.

The visitors began the second half strongly and reduced the deficit in the 50th minute, Abada turning Tyger Smalls’ cross into the net. Five minutes later, Abada scored again after exchanging passes with Pep Biel before placing his shot into the far corner.

Charlotte completed the comeback in the 90th minute. Smalls’ shot came back off the post and fell to Roldolfo Oluoko, who fired into the net to secure a 3-3 draw.

The result was another reminder of Inter Miami’s problems defending large leads. On 2 May, they led Orlando City 3-0 after 33 minutes before losing 4-3. Martin Ojeda scored a hat-trick in that match, while Tyrese Spicer struck the winning goal in the 93rd minute.

Orlando’s victory made them only the fourth team in MLS history to win after trailing by three goals, and the first since 2018. Charlotte’s recovery meant Inter Miami surrendered a three-goal home advantage for the second time in 2026, although they avoided defeat this time.

Inter Miami finished second in the Eastern Conference with 60 points after New England lost 1-0 to Orlando. Messi’s side will face seventh-placed Columbus Crew in a best-of-three first-round play-off series.

Nashville topped the conference with 77 points after beating Cincinnati 2-0, breaking Inter Miami’s previous record of 74 points for the most in a regular season, set in 2024.