Argentine superstar Lionel Messi has been named Major League Soccer’s Most Valuable Player.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward played a pivotal role in Inter Miami’s record-breaking regular season points total.
The team was however eliminated in the first round of the MLS Cup playoffs in November.
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At 37, Messi led the league in goal contributions, with 20 goals and 16 assists, despite injuries restricting him to just 19 regular-season games and two playoff appearances.
The MVP award, determined by votes from players, club technical staff, and journalists, saw Messi secure 38.43% of the votes, surpassing Columbus Crew’s Cucho Hernández, who earned 33.7%.
The honor, officially titled the Landon Donovan MLS MVP, has previously been awarded to notable players such as U.S. legend Landon Donovan, Ireland’s Robbie Keane, and Spain’s David Villa.