Major League Soccer

L. Messi leads the race with 13 goals after 14 matches for Inter Miami. He is level on goals with H. Cuypers on 13, while P. Musa sits 1 back on 12. At the current rate L. Messi projects to finish on around 34 for the season.

L. Messi has scored 13 goals for Inter Miami this season, accounting for 33% of the team's 39 league goals. The output goes well beyond a flat scoring rate. He is the player Inter Miami turn to in tight games and the one defenders have to pick up first. Recent goal hauls include 1 goal against Portland Timbers, 2 goals against FC Cincinnati, and 1 goal against Toronto FC. The numbers put him in the conversation for player of the season as long as the form holds.

1. L. Messi (Inter Miami) on 13 goals. 2. H. Cuypers (Chicago Fire) on 13 goals. 3. P. Musa (FC Dallas) on 12 goals. 4. P. Judd (San Jose Earthquakes) on 11 goals. 5. M. Ingvartsen (San Diego) on 11 goals.

Son Heung-Min of Los Angeles FC tops the assists chart with 8. L. Messi (Inter Miami) is next on 7, and A. Dreyer of San Diego rounds out the top three on 7.

S. Surridge of Nashville SC is the most efficient finisher in the league at 1.74 goals per 90 minutes. He has 9 goals from 465 minutes, so volume is not the headline. The story is how rarely he wastes time on the pitch.

M. Ingvartsen is the breakout story so far. He had 2 goals last season and already has 11 for San Diego, a jump of 9. Something has clicked between role, fitness, and trust from the coaching staff, and the goals tell the rest.