Messi chasing MLS all-time record: How many goal contributions does he need to surpass Vela’s milestone?
The 2025 Major League Soccer regular season is nearing its end, and the playoff picture is gradually coming into focus. Inter Miami are already among the qualified teams, despite having several matches still to play. In those remaining games, Lionel Messi will be chasing a historic milestone currently held by Carlos Vela.
Messi is currently the top scorer in MLS this season with 24 goals, one ahead of LAFC’s Denis Bouanga and two clear of Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge. The Argentine forward reached that tally largely in the second half of the year, following his return from the FIFA Club World Cup, with multiple multi-goal performances.
But goals aren’t Messi’s only contribution to Inter Miami. He’s also been a key playmaker. In that department, he ranks second in the league with 13 assists — tied with FC Cincinnati’s Evander and trailing only San Diego FC’s Andres Dreyer (16).
Those combined numbers place Messi at the top of the goal contribution leaderboard for the 2025 MLS season. The 38-year-old star has recorded 37 direct goal involvements for the Herons in league play alone. That makes him the first player in MLS history to surpass 35 goal contributions in back-to-back seasons.
Messi chasing Carlos Vela’s record
The 37 goal contributions Messi has this year tie him with Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Josef Martinez on the all-time single-season list in MLS. However, all three trail Carlos Vela. The Mexican icon holds the all-time record with 49 goal contributions (34 goals and 15 assists in 2019 with Los Angeles FC).
That leaves Messi a significant gap to close: Leo needs 12 more goals or assists in the remainder of the 2025 regular season to match Vela’s mark. With the season winding down, it’s a tough challenge — but not impossible.
Inter Miami hold a scheduling advantage over most MLS teams: they still have two games in hand after postponements due to their participation in the Club World Cup and the Leagues Cup. That gives them a total of four remaining matches in the regular season. For Messi to match Vela’s record, he’ll need to average three goal contributions per game.
What matches are left for Inter Miami?
The Herons’ four remaining regular season games could give Messi the opportunity to reach Carlos Vela’s record for most goal contributions in a single MLS season — and also allow the team to chase an even more significant collective goal.
Seven points behind Philadelphia Union, Inter Miami still have a chance to close the gap in the Eastern Conference standings and contend for the Supporters’ Shield, which would be the third official title in club history. Their first test comes Tuesday against Chicago Fire, followed by a home match on Saturday against New England Revolution. They’ll then host Atlanta United on October 11 and finish the regular season away at Nashville SC on October 18.