MLS
Which players could challenge Lionel Messi to be 2024 MLS MVP?
Luis Suárez, Christian Benteke and Cristián Arango moved ahead of the Argentine at the top of the goalscoring charts, although his influence remains unparalleled.
Inter Miami continue to fly high at the top of MLS, inspired by Argentine talisman Lionel Messi. The former Barcelona star has been in scintillating form in 2024, although the early signs are he will face competition to be the league’s Most Valuable Player come the end of the season. Teammate, Luis Suárez, Real Salt Lake forward Cristián Arango and Christian Benteke of DC United, in particular, have thrown their names into the ring in the first few months of the campaign.
How many goals and assists does Messi have in MLS 2024?
Arango and Benteke both overtook Messi in the goalscoring standings at the weekend, when the Argentina captain failed to score or provide an assist for the first time this year in MLS. Despite that, the 36-year-old has netted 10 goals and set up another 12 for his teammates in only nine games.
Colombian star Arango scored both of Real Salt Lake’s goals in their 2-2 draw against LA Galaxy in the Western Conference, while Benteke’s hat-trick fired DC United past Atlanta United. Both men have now scored 11 MLS goals in 2024.
Arango and Benteke join Suárez at top of scoring charts
That means they are level at the top of the scoring charts with Messi’s Inter Miami teammate Luis Suárez, who did find the net in The Herons 3-2 victory at CF Montréal.
The result leaves Tata Martino’s team top of both the Eastern Conference and the overall standings with 27 points (eight wins, three draws, two losses).
Benteke has now scored two trebles in the current campaign and is in red-hot form ahead of next weekend’s meeting with Inter Miami at Chase Stadium, which follows a midweek clash against New York Red Bulls. The Belgian striker has netted five times in his last three appearances.
Messi leads the way from Arango and Suárez for goal contributions
Will, however, simply goals be enough to become MLS MVP? Messi, of course, has another trick up his sleeve, as already mentioned.
The Argentine’s incredible number of assists - 12 - means he comfortably leads the way in that category, four ahead of San Jose Earthquakes’ Cristian Espinoza.
Special mention must go, however, to Arango, who, in addition to his 11 MLS goals, has also assisted seven for RSL, putting him on 18 goal contributions in 12 appearances, figures with are (almost) Messi-like. Suárez, meanwhile, is just a couple further back on the combined list, coupling his 11 goals with five assists, for a total of 16.