The 2025 MLS season ended with Lionel Messi once again at the summit, lifting Inter Miami to its first league title and cementing a legacy that has reshaped North American soccer. Yet as the new year approaches, another superstar — Son Heung-Min, now the face of LAFC — has sent an unmistakable message toward Messi and Inter Miami about the battle to come. And while MLS grows into a global spectacle attracting household names, the rivalry forming between Messi’s side and Son’s outfit is beginning to feel like a continental heavyweight duel waiting to explode.
The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s dominance has transformed Inter Miami into the standard-bearer of the league, while Son has quickly become the symbolic leader of LAFC’s new era. Both stars represent their clubs and countries — Argentina and South Korea — with monumental expectations, and their first MLS showdown is already circled on every calendar.
Messi’s 2025 campaign was, simply put, one of the greatest individual seasons in MLS history. He finished the regular season with 29 goals and 19 assists, lifting the Golden Boot and guiding the Herons to their maiden MLS Cup. In the playoffs, he was even more devastating — six goals and nine assists, a record 15 goal involvements in a single postseason.
Messi’s two assists in the MLS Cup final — a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps — earned him MLS Cup MVP and helped secure his second consecutive MLS MVP award, making him the first player ever to achieve that feat. “It was a long year… but a historic one,” Messi reflected, via ESPN. “Being able to achieve what we did was very special.”
Since arriving in Miami in 2023, he has produced over 100 goal involvements, more than any other MLS player in that period. Even at 38, his dominance remains unmatched — not by Premier League imports, not by Bundesliga attackers, not even by other global icons now calling MLS home.
What did Son Heung-Min say?
Son’s inaugural MLS season was electric. The South Korean forward immediately became LAFC’s top attacking threat, revitalizing the club and pushing it deep into the Western Conference playoffs before falling to Vancouver. While Son had a strong individual campaign, the disappointment of missing a final showdown with Messi clearly stuck with him. And then came the moment — the one now reverberating through MLS circles.
During a visit to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Son shared a playful but pointed message with former teammates — and with Messi’s Argentina colleagues. His words contained the now-viral nine-word warning: “I let Messi win this year, but next year…”, before adding: “Next year, we are on top”. It quickly spread across social media, signaling not just confidence, but ambition.
Son Heung-Min #7 of of Los Angeles Football Club acknowledges fans
The bold warning has already become lore. Now, it’s time to see whether LAFC can turn the 33-year-old’s message into reality, or whether Messi will extend his streak of dominance one more year.
