Lionel Messi Made History More Than Once
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FC Cincinnati's march through the MLS Cup playoff will against Inter Miami and Lionel Messi, who the Orange and Blue have not lost to this season.
The 2025 season started with 30 teams dreaming of MLS Cup playoff glory, but only eight remain after the first round best-of-three series concluded on Sunday.
Superstar Lionel Messi, the MLS Golden Boot winner and MLS MVP favorite, leads an MLS Best XI list this season that features representatives from nine clubs. With 29 goals and 19 assists, the Inter Miami forward was one goal contribution shy of the league-record 49 set by Carlos Vela in 2019 and could be the first back-to-back MVP in league history.
MLS’ salary cap rules are a staple of the league, but Messi says it limits the ability of the league to attract top talent.