Inter Miami CF Forward Lionel Messi Named MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra for Matchday 22

NEW YORK (Monday, July 7, 2025) – Inter Miami CF forward Lionel Messi was voted the Major League Soccer Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra for Matchday 22 of the 2025 MLS season.

Leading the offensive 4-1 road victory for Miami was Messi, who recorded two goals and an assist in the win over CF Montréal (Watch Highlights from His Performance Here). The 2024 Landon Donovan MLS MVP has had at least two goals and one assist in three consecutive league matches, becoming the fourth player in MLS history to accomplish the feat and the first since Thierry Henry in 2012. Messi has recorded nine games with at least three goal contributions since entering the league on August 26, 2023, two more than the next-closest player over the span (Denis Bouanga, seven).

Messi is currently tied for third in MLS with 19 goal contributions (12 goals, seven assists) and leads the league in goals per game (0.86). By winning their first regular season game following the FIFA Club World Cup, Miami (32 points, 9-3-5) currently sits in sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings, but has at least three games in hand over the clubs positioned above them.

Miami fell behind 1-0 to Montréal but quickly bounced back to level the score as Messi found Tadeo Allende, who squeezed a low shot past the goalkeeper (Watch Here). The Argentine legend then scored Miami’s go-ahead goal in the 40th minute as he weaved through multiple defenders before firing a trademark left-footed shot into the net (Watch Here). In the second half, Telasco Segovia scored to make it 3-1 before Messi scored a goal of the year contender in the 62nd minute to seal the victory. Messi received the ball from near midfield before dribbling past six Montréal defenders into the 18-yard-box and calmly slotting his finish into the net (Watch Here).

The honor is Messi’s third this season and ninth MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra award in his career. Messi is the 11th player in league history to have won the award at least nine different times and only the second active one to do so (Josef Martínez, nine).

Miami returns to action on Wednesday as the club travels to Gillette Stadium to face the New England Revolution (7:30 p.m. ET, MLS Season Pass on Apple TV).

The MLS Player of the Matchday presented by Michelob Ultra is selected each matchday of the regular season through both media and fan voting in a process conducted by MLS Communications. A panel of journalists from the North American Soccer Reporters (NASR) comprises 75 percent of the vote, while an Instagram fan vote represents the remaining 25 percent of voting. NASR consists of members of print, television, radio, and online media.