MIAMI, United States, November 12, 2026: Lionel Messi stands one award away from another Major League Soccer record after being named among five finalists for the Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player award. The Inter Miami captain, who won the honor in 2024 and 2025, is chasing an unprecedented third consecutive MVP title after finishing the regular season with 26 goals and 17 assists, leading the league with 43 direct goal contributions.
Messi’s nomination follows his second consecutive MLS Golden Boot, but the MVP competition offers a different measure of individual excellence. Philadelphia Union’s 17-year-old Cavan Sullivan, Nashville SC’s Hany Mukhtar, FC Cincinnati’s Evander and Houston Dynamo’s Guilherme complete the shortlist. Their nominations create a contest between extraordinary individual production, a teenager’s breakout season, leadership of the Supporters’ Shield winners and influential performances in very different attacking systems.
Key Takeaways
- Lionel Messi stands one award away from another Major League Soccer record after being named among five finalists for the Landon Donovan MLS Most Valuable Player award.
- Major League Soccer announced the finalists on November 12 after voting closed earlier in the week.
- At 39, Messi remains the most productive attacking player in MLS.
- Of Messi’s four rivals, Cavan Sullivan presents perhaps the most compelling contrast.
Who Are the Five MLS MVP Finalists?
Major League Soccer announced the finalists on November 12 after voting closed earlier in the week. The award recognizes performances during the regular season rather than the upcoming playoffs.
Story at a glance
Who Are the Five MLS MVP Finalists?
Major League Soccer announced the finalists on November 12 after voting closed earlier in the week. The award recognizes performances during the regular season rather than the upcoming playoffs.
Messi’s 26 Goals and 17 Assists Make a Powerful Case
At 39, Messi remains the most productive attacking player in MLS.
How Messi’s Latest Season Compares With His Previous MVP Campaign
Messi’s 2025 season was even more prolific in raw goals and assists. He scored 29 times and provided 19 assists in 28 regular-season appearances.
Cavan Sullivan Offers the Most Intriguing Challenge
Of Messi’s four rivals, Cavan Sullivan presents perhaps the most compelling contrast.
Hany Mukhtar’s Case Begins With Nashville’s Record Season
Hany Mukhtar has a different argument.
| Finalist | Club | Main MVP Argument |
|---|---|---|
| Lionel Messi | Inter Miami CF | League-leading 43 goal contributions and 26 goals |
| Cavan Sullivan | Philadelphia Union | Teenage record of 23 goal contributions |
| Evander | FC Cincinnati | Creative influence and attacking leadership |
| Guilherme | Houston Dynamo FC | Major attacking impact in his first MLS season |
| Hany Mukhtar | Nashville SC | Influence on the Supporters’ Shield-winning team |
Each finalist represents a different form of value. Messi combines scoring and chance creation on a scale unmatched by his rivals. Sullivan’s inclusion reflects a remarkable breakthrough at 17. Mukhtar helped Nashville secure the league’s best regular-season record, while Evander and Guilherme provide different examples of how creative players can shape their teams’ attacks.
The shortlist does not establish the final voting order. Messi is a strong contender based on his production, but the winner has not yet been announced.
Messi’s 26 Goals and 17 Assists Make a Powerful Case
At 39, Messi remains the most productive attacking player in MLS.
He finished the regular season with 26 goals in 31 appearances, winning the Golden Boot ahead of FC Dallas striker Petar Musa, who scored 22, and Nashville’s Sam Surridge, who finished with 21.
His 17 assists brought his total to 43 direct goal contributions, the highest in the competition.
That means Messi directly contributed to an average of approximately 1.39 goals per appearance, calculated by dividing his combined goals and assists by 31 matches.
The statistic does not establish that every contribution was decisive or account for the quality of opposition, but it demonstrates the frequency with which Messi influenced the scoreboard.
His output also reflects two separate responsibilities.
Messi remains Inter Miami’s primary goalscoring threat, yet he also creates opportunities for teammates through his passing, movement and ability to draw defenders away from their preferred positions.
That combination makes him difficult to evaluate using a conventional striker’s statistical profile.
The official MLS Golden Boot announcement confirms his 26 goals, 17 assists and league-leading 43 goal contributions.
Messi’s goalscoring position was already apparent before the final regular-season fixtures. The Sports Encounter’s MLS Decision Day preview examined his pursuit of the Golden Boot and the mathematical challenge facing his closest competitors.
The award has now been decided in his favor. The MVP trophy represents the next potential milestone.
How Messi’s Latest Season Compares With His Previous MVP Campaign
Messi’s 2025 season was even more prolific in raw goals and assists. He scored 29 times and provided 19 assists in 28 regular-season appearances.
His latest campaign therefore shows a reduction in total output, but that does not necessarily indicate a corresponding decline in his overall influence.
| Measure | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Regular-season appearances | 28 | 31 |
| Goals | 29 | 26 |
| Assists | 19 | 17 |
| Goal contributions | 48 | 43 |
| Contributions per appearance | 1.71 | 1.39 |
| MLS Golden Boot | Winner | Winner |
| MLS MVP | Winner | Finalist, result pending |
The calculated contributions-per-appearance average declined from approximately 1.71 to 1.39, but the more meaningful observation is how high the latter figure remains.
Producing more than one direct goal contribution per appearance across an entire regular season is an exceptional level of attacking consistency.
It becomes more distinctive when considering that Messi has continued delivering this output after an international career spanning two decades and an appearance in another FIFA World Cup final.
His wider late-career productivity was examined in TSE’s analysis of Messi’s place among the greatest athletes in sporting history, including his MLS records, longevity and the evolution of his attacking responsibilities.
There is an important limitation to the comparison. Goals and assists do not measure every off-ball movement, chance created without a recorded assist or defensive contribution. They provide a strong indicator of production, not a complete individual performance assessment.
Cavan Sullivan Offers the Most Intriguing Challenge
Of Messi’s four rivals, Cavan Sullivan presents perhaps the most compelling contrast.
The Philadelphia Union midfielder is only 17, yet he finished the regular season with nine goals and 14 assists.
His 23 goal contributions established a new MLS single-season record for a teenager.
On Decision Day, Sullivan scored twice in Philadelphia’s 4-1 victory over Toronto FC, completing a campaign that also earned him a place among the Young Player of the Year finalists.
His contribution extends beyond raw production. Sullivan has developed into an important attacking presence through his ability to receive possession between defensive lines, create chances and carry the ball into dangerous areas.
The Union’s team results when he started also strengthen his case.
Philadelphia collected 41 points from his 21 starts, recording 12 wins, four defeats and five draws. Those matches accounted for 82% of their season points.
That is an association rather than proof that Sullivan alone caused those results, but it demonstrates how frequently he was involved when Philadelphia secured points.
The official MLS report on Sullivan’s Decision Day performance confirms the teenage contribution record and his influence during Philadelphia’s campaign.
Sullivan’s case is therefore not simply that a young player has produced impressive numbers. He has become a serious individual award contender while helping his team reach the postseason.
Messi still leads him by 20 goal contributions, but that numerical difference does not mean Sullivan’s campaign should be dismissed. The MVP vote must consider role, team dependence and performance context alongside goals and assists.
Hany Mukhtar’s Case Begins With Nashville’s Record Season
Hany Mukhtar has a different argument.
Unlike Messi, whose case is primarily defined by league-leading individual production, Mukhtar’s candidacy is closely connected to Nashville’s collective success.
Nashville won the Supporters’ Shield with 77 points, finishing the regular season as MLS’s leading team.
Mukhtar, who previously won the league MVP award in 2022, remained an important part of an attacking system that grew more effective under head coach B.J. Callaghan.
His combination of finishing, creative passing and movement between defensive lines helped Nashville develop an attack that did not depend solely on one player.
This creates a legitimate MVP question.
Should the award favor the player who produces the most goals and assists, or should the contribution of a central figure in the league’s most successful regular-season team receive greater weight?
There is no automatic answer.
Nashville’s 77-point finish demonstrates sustained team superiority, but the Supporters’ Shield is a collective achievement. It does not independently establish Mukhtar as the best individual player.
His influence must be considered alongside contributions from teammates, the coaching staff and the team’s defensive organization.
Nashville’s outstanding form was already visible during the closing stretch. TSE’s report on Messi’s late winner and Nashville’s record-equalling comeback examined how both Inter Miami and Nashville were building momentum ahead of the postseason.
Evander and Guilherme Represent Different Types of Attacking Value
Evander’s nomination reflects the value of an attacking midfielder whose influence extends beyond finishing.
At FC Cincinnati, he has been a central creative figure, offering passing range, technical control and the ability to generate scoring opportunities from advanced positions.
His case depends on how voters evaluate consistent chance creation and attacking responsibility compared with the extraordinary finishing figures produced by Messi.
Guilherme, meanwhile, has earned recognition for his first season with Houston Dynamo.
The Brazilian has provided the club with pace, direct dribbling and attacking production, establishing himself as one of the competition’s standout newcomers.
His candidacy raises another aspect of individual value: how much a player improves a team’s attacking capabilities relative to its available resources.
Guilherme may not possess the same global reputation or accumulated MLS achievements as Messi and Mukhtar, but neither should be an explicit voting requirement.
The MVP award is intended to recognize the current regular season.
It should therefore reward performances and influence rather than an athlete’s commercial appeal, worldwide following or previous trophies.
What Should Decide the MLS MVP Award?
The league’s voting system allows three groups to participate: members of the media, club technical staff and active players.
Each group accounts for one-third of the overall vote. Club players and technical staff are not permitted to vote for candidates from their own teams.
The voting period ended on November 9, meaning subsequent playoff performances cannot alter ballots already submitted.
The official MLS voting rules confirm that the award evaluates regular-season performance and explain the composition of the electorate.
The distinction is important as Inter Miami prepare to defend their MLS Cup title.
Messi’s postseason form may strengthen or weaken perceptions of his season, but the award itself is based on the completed regular season.
A fair assessment should consider scoring production, creativity, consistency, impact on team results and the responsibilities assigned within each team’s tactical system.
Under those measures, Messi possesses an unusually strong case.
He led the league in goals and overall goal contributions while helping Inter Miami secure second place in the Eastern Conference.
However, the difference between individual output and individual value should remain part of the debate.
A player in a stronger attacking team may benefit from more high-quality scoring opportunities. A creator operating with fewer established finishers may contribute important chances that do not become recorded assists.
That is why a thoughtful MVP evaluation requires more than comparing the top line of a statistical table.
Messi’s MLS Legacy Has Entered a Different Phase
Messi arrived at Inter Miami as one of the most accomplished footballers in history, but his achievements in MLS have developed into a distinct chapter of his career.
He has now won consecutive Golden Boots and consecutive MVP awards, while helping Miami win its first MLS Cup in 2025.
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MLSWhere Does Each Team Stand in MLS 2026? Nashville on Top as Messi Sets the Standard Ahead of the PlayoffsHis international retirement also changed the context surrounding his club career.
Following Argentina’s defeat to Spain in the FIFA World Cup final, Messi ended a national-team career that included the 2022 World Cup, two Copa América titles and historic individual records.
TSE’s report on Messi’s Argentina retirement examined how his departure concluded a defining era in international soccer.
The change has allowed his club performances to become the principal measure of his remaining competitive career.
Rather than maintaining his place through reputation alone, Messi continues generating the production needed to compete for major individual awards.
His wider goalscoring longevity remains part of the ongoing comparison with Cristiano Ronaldo, although MLS MVP voting should not be influenced by achievements in unrelated competitions.
The Sports Encounter’s examination of the Ronaldo-Messi goalscoring rivalry explored the different ways both players have adapted their games late in their careers.
For the MLS award, the relevant question is much narrower: was Messi the competition’s most valuable regular-season player?
Inter Miami’s MLS Cup Defense Adds Another Dimension
Inter Miami will begin the playoffs against Columbus Crew in a best-of-three first-round series.
The defending champions finished second in the Eastern Conference, while Columbus qualified as the seventh seed.
Miami’s roster contains established international players, including Luis Suárez, Rodrigo De Paul and Casemiro, giving Messi experienced support throughout the team.
That strengthens Miami’s chances of defending its title but also complicates any attempt to credit the team’s entire performance to one individual.
The playoffs will test Miami’s ability to turn regular-season attacking quality into knockout success.
Messi’s passing, set-piece delivery and finishing will be central to that challenge, but results will also depend on defensive organization, midfield control and contributions from his teammates.
The season has already shown how quickly matches can change. In TSE’s coverage of Miami’s narrow victory over New England, Messi’s late goal demonstrated his ability to decide a close contest when the Eastern Conference standings were under pressure.
Miami will need those decisive contributions again if they are to retain the championship.
Will Messi Become the First Three-Time MLS MVP?
Messi is unquestionably a leading candidate based on his regular-season production.
His 43 goal contributions are the clearest numerical advantage in the five-player shortlist, while the Golden Boot confirms his status as the competition’s most prolific goalscorer.
But the presence of Sullivan, Mukhtar, Evander and Guilherme ensures that the contest should not be reduced to an inevitable victory.
Sullivan has delivered a record-breaking teenage campaign. Mukhtar has contributed to a championship-winning regular season. Evander and Guilherme have shaped their teams’ attacks through different qualities and responsibilities.
Messi’s case remains particularly persuasive because he combines leadership in scoring with substantial creative output, rather than relying on one discipline alone.
A third MVP award would establish a new individual benchmark in league history and extend an exceptional late-career run that began with his move to Miami.
For now, the result is unresolved.
The winner will be announced during the postseason, while Messi turns his attention toward Columbus Crew and the pursuit of another MLS Cup.
He has already secured a place in the league’s record books. The outstanding question is whether voters consider his latest season sufficiently influential to give him a third consecutive MVP trophy.
