Lionel Messi smashes MLS record once held by former Arsenal & Juventus stars | OneFootball

Lionel Messi has been enjoying a record year with Inter Miami in 2025 and the 38-year-old recently broke another record.

Since joining the league in 2023, the Argentine wizard has looked a level above the competition, but there’s no doubt that his campaign in 2025 has been his best season yet.

Across all competitions for Miami this year, he’s scored 43 goals and produced 23 assists. That’s 66 goal contributions in total.

In the history of MLS, no player has ever produced more goal contributions than that over a full calendar year.

Indeed, prior to Messi breaking the record, it was held by former Arsenal star Carlos Vela, who produced 52 goal contributions across all competitions in 2019 for LAFC.

Before Vela, Josef Martinez held the record with 42 in 2018 and before him, Sebastian Giovinco with 40 goal contributions in 2016.

Impressively, Messi still has the chance to add to his tally as he’ll play one more game before the end of the year – the MLS Cup final against Vancouver Whitecaps.

Here’s the full breakdown of the six MLS players with the most goal contributions across all competitions over a calendar year.

1. Lionel Messi (2025) – 66 goal contributions

It’s going to take some effort to beat this record.

Averaging a goal or assist every 61.6 minutes, the Argentine playmaker has been in superb form throughout the year.

Having scored 43 goals, it’s also been Messi’s most prolific year since 2019, which is quite the effort considering he’s now 38.

2. Carlos Vela (2019) – 52 goal contributions

Prior to Messi’s arrival in MLS, Vela held this record with 52 goal contributions in 2019.

The Mexican forward was undoubtedly the best player in the league that season, but didn’t get his hands on the MLS Cup as LAFC lost in the Conference final to Seattle Sounders.

However, he did get his hands on the MLS Cup eventually, winning it in 2022.

3. Anders Dreyer (2025) – 44 goal contributions

Messi’s excellent form in 2025 has overshadowed Dreyer, who’s also enjoyed an excellent season with San Diego.

The Danish winger produced a total of 44 goal contributions throughout the year, which is some effort considering it’s his first year in MLS.

4. Josef Martinez (2018) – 42 goal contributions

Back in 2018, Atlanta United were the team to beat in MLS and that was largely thanks to Martinez.

The Venezuela international enjoyed his most prolific year with the club in 2018, which also coincided with them winning the MLS Cup.

5. Sebastian Giovinco (2016) – 40 goal contributions

Otherwise known as the ‘atomic ant’, Giovinco was tearing MLS defences to shreds in 2016 for Toronto.

To this day, he’s still the club’s record all-time scorer with 83 goals in 142 appearances.

6. Zlatan Ibrahimovic (2019) – 39 goal contributions

Ibrahimovic’s time in MLS was short, but sweet.

The Swedish forward spent two years in MLS and enjoyed his best year in 2019, which was his second season with LA Galaxy.

Across all competitions, he produced 39 goal contributions that year, which is the sixth-best of any player in the league’s history.