Lionel Messi Earns MLS October Player of the Month Honors

Lionel Messi, the captain of Inter Miami CF, has been awarded the MLS Player of the Month title for October 2025. His exceptional performance during the month included a total of 10 goal contributions, comprising five goals and five assists spread across just three matches.

Noteworthy Achievements in October

• Messi’s 10 goal contributions in this stretch ranks as the third best in MLS history.
• This impressive run ties him to a previous record of 12 contributions in a single run, achieved in April-May 2024.

He contributed either the game-winning goal or assist in two of Miami’s three victories throughout October. The key moments included:

• Game-winning assist against New England Revolution on October 4.
• Game-winning goal against Atlanta United on October 11.

Golden Boot Race and League Records

Messi is having a historic Golden Boot-winning season. He is only the third player since 2005 to exceed 29 goals in a single season, joining the ranks of Josef Martínez and Carlos Vela. In this campaign, Messi boasts a remarkable average of 1.03 goals per game, just trailing behind Vela’s 1.10 average from 2019.

Of Messi’s 29 goals, 28 came from open play, marking the highest such total in MLS history. Additionally, he became the first player to achieve 10 multi-goal games in a single season, surpassing the previous record of eight.

Regular Season Summary

As the 2025 regular season came to a close, Messi recorded a remarkable 48 goal contributions in 28 matches. This total ranks as the second-highest in league history. Notably, he provided at least three contributions in nine separate matches, setting another league record.

Career Milestones

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has now recorded at least 36 goal contributions in a season on multiple occasions, specifically in 2024 and 2025. He also becomes just the second player in MLS history to lead the league in both goals (29) and assists (19) in a single season, joining Sebastian Giovinco from Toronto FC.

This latest recognition marks the third time Messi has received the Player of the Month honors this season, with previous wins in May and July. His five career Player of the Month awards prove his dominance, making him the first player to achieve this in a two-season timeframe. He is now notably the third MLS player to win three Player of the Month awards in a single season, alongside Carlos Vela and Chris Wondolowski.

The MLS Player of the Month award is determined by a panel of national media members, highlighting the significance of Messi’s performance among his peers.