Ranking the Top 75 MLS Players of 2024: 1. Lionel Messi

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Who else? Lionel Messi is inevitable. There is no introduction you could give the man that would be any different than what is already known. He took last-placed Inter Miami to the Leagues Cup title within moments of arriving at the club, then won the MVP award in his first full Major League Soccer season. He finished with a league-leading 36 goal contributions, on 21 goals and 17 assists. Every sports fan in the world, along with the majority of non-sports fans, understand the greatness of Messi. Most consider him the greatest to ever grace the pitch. There was no doubt he'd do what he did at the biggest stages of football in MLS. And yet, it was not all perfect for the global superstar in 2024.

The Argentine really could not have opened things up more on fire. It was an assist in the opening match of the season against Real Salt Lake, followed by a late equalizer against the Galaxy. He then scored a brace against Orlando, grabbed two in two matches agaist Nashville and added another versus Colorado. He did doubles in back-to-back blowout wins over Nashville and New England. He then did the seemingly impossible by assisting a whopping five goals and scoring the other one in a 6-2 beatdown of the New York Red Bulls. After Copa America, he notched three more goal contributions against Philadelphia. Another quick double got the job done away at Columbus. He scored a hat trick against the Revolution in 11 minutes on Decision Day and stole the MLS points record away. The postseason is where the success came to a halt, Atlanta United shocked the Supporters' Shield winners in the best-of-three series and left them far away from the title.

Messi's 21 total goals came out to an incomprehensible 1.08 goals per 90. Winning MVP while starting just 18 MLS matches and appearing in 22 is nearly unheard of, and yet he contributed to 38 goals. He is always going to miss a few games here and there while playing with Miami, but just imagine his stats with a full schedule. He averaged 0.43 xA per 90, setting his teammates up in the craftiest of manners, as he's done his whole career. Even at the age of 37, he completed 3.23 successful dribbles per 90. He took well over five shots a match, with near half of them on target. The greatest of all time will try to recreate his regular season with Miami in 2025, but the one thing he's yet to achieve in his career is advancing past the first round of the MLS Cup Playoffs. Anyway, that'll do it for the offseason and the top 75, it's time for everyone's favorite league to return to action. Messi grabs the top spot.

1) LIONEL MESSI | FWD, MIA | PER 90 STATS (PERCENTILE)

38 GOAL CONTRIBUTIONS

1.08 GOALS PER 90 (100%)

0.43 xA PER 90 (99%)

3.23 SUCCESSFUL DRIBBLES PER 90 (97%)