A closer look at the numbers suggests what Messi accomplished in 2025 was more impressive and should be considered the greatest attacking season in MLS history.

Messi’s hat trick against Nashville follows his performance off the bench against the New England Revolution on Oct. 19, 2024, three days after his 10th international hat trick for Argentina in a World Cup qualifier against Boliva on Oct. 16, 2024. Yeah, two in one week.

By claiming his ninth career Golden Boot, this time with Inter Miami in MLS, Lionel Messi has broken a historic Argentina record.

Messi finished with 29 goals and 16 assists in MLS play and did it all in 2,420 minutes — that's a goal or assist about every 54 minutes.

Lionel Messi left no doubt on Decision Day. The Argentine icon scored a hat trick in a 5-2 victory over Nashville on Saturday night to wrap up Major League Soccer’s Golden Boot award with 29 goals this season.

Lionel Messi has been crowned the top scorer of the 2025 Major League Soccer season—an achievement he had already accomplished in other leagues. But how does that compare to Cristiano Ronaldo?