Messi nominated for another MLS MVP title – a German player is also in the running

Lionel Messi is aiming for yet another first in his career. The Argentine is set to become the first player ever in Major League Soccer to be in with a chance of winning a third MVP award. Alongside the superstar, a German player is also in the running.

No player in the North American Major League Soccer (MLS) has ever won the Most Valuable Player (MVP) award three times. In fact, only two players – the American Predrag “Preki” Radosavljevic, who won the award in 1997 and 2003, and Lionel Messi – have ever been named MVP twice. Last year, Messi achieved the feat of defending his title. In 2026, the Argentine could even pull off a hat-trick.

The 39-year-old Inter Miami superstar is once again on the shortlist (top 5) for the MVP award. Messi scored 26 goals (in 31 matches) for the Florida-based team during the regular season, meaning the 2022 World Cup winner was also crowned top scorer. Messi and his club also go into the play-offs as defending champions. In the first round (22 November to 2 December), Miami will face Columbus.

Alongside Messi, former German Bundesliga professional Hany Mukhtar (Nashville SC) also made it into the top 5. The other nominees are: Evander (FC Cincinnati), Guilherme (Houston Dynamo) and the US talent Cavan Sullivan (Philadelphia Union).

Among the managers, Thomas Müller’s coach Jesper Sörensen (Vancouver Whitecaps) made it into the top three. Antoine Griezmann (Orlando City), a 2018 World Cup winner, is among the final three for the Rookie of the Year award. Former BVB goalkeeper Roman Bürki (St. Louis City) is in the running for Goalkeeper of the Year. Former Nuremberg player Eduard Löwen has been nominated for Comeback Player of the Year.

The winners of the vote, which is carried out by the clubs, players and selected journalists, are to be announced during the knockout stages.