After two matches, Messi already claims a prestigious award in MLS.

Lionel Messi continues to excel in MLS with a double that propelled Inter Miami to a comeback victory over Orlando City, simultaneously nearing Landon Donovan's record for the Player of the Matchday honor.

Lionel Messi reaffirms his class in MLS by being the key figure in Inter Miami's spectacular comeback against Orlando City. With his brace in the 4-2 win, the Argentine superstar not only secured all three points for his team but also took a significant step toward the historic milestone held by legend Landon Donovan.

Following a heavy 0-3 defeat to Los Angeles FC in their MLS 2026 opener, Inter Miami faced Orlando City under pressure to prove their resilience. However, "The Herons" found themselves trailing 0-2 after the first half. With nothing left to lose, Messi and his teammates erupted in the second half, completing an impressive comeback. Notably, the goal that sealed the 4-2 victory came from a superb free-kick by Messi himself, capping off his brilliant performance.

With such dazzling form, Messi was voted the MLS Player of the Matchday for Round 2. This marks the 13th time he has received this accolade since joining Inter Miami midway through the 2023 season.

This latest achievement moves Messi up to third place on the all-time list for most Player of the Matchday awards in league history MLS. Previously, he had been honored 12 times, tying the record of New York Red Bulls icon Bradley Wright-Phillips, before officially surpassing the former English striker.

Currently, Donovan still holds the record with 19 awards, followed by Columbus Crew legend Jeff Cunningham with 14. Messi, with 13 honors, is now closing in on these two icons.

In his first two full MLS seasons, Messi won a total of 12 Player of the Matchday awards, becoming the first player in league history to achieve six consecutive awards across two back-to-back seasons. In the 2026 season, he has already earned one award, while the honors for the first two rounds went to New York Red Bulls' young talent Julian Hall.

With a contract valid until December 2028, the prospect of Messi surpassing not only Cunningham but also Donovan's record of 19 awards seems merely a matter of time, provided he maintains his current peak form.