Despite nearing his 40th birthday, Lionel Messi continues to prove that age is merely a number. A new study by the CIES Football Observatory has revealed that the Inter Miami and Argentina captain had a greater impact on goals and assists over the last 365 days than any other player in the sport.
According to the CIES report, which analyzed player performance across 67 leagues globally, Messi registered a staggering 59 goal contributions (37 goals and 22 assists) during the past year.
Even when applying a weighting formula to account for the competitive level of the matches, Messi remains in the top spot with a weighted index of 66.3, edging out Kylian Mbappe’s 65.4.
Harry Kane of Bayern Munich claimed the second spot for raw production with 42 decisive actions (35 goals and seven assists). Third place belongs to Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC, who recorded 41 contributions (22 goals and 19 assists), followed closely by Kylian Mbappe in fourth with 41 total contributions (37 goals and four assists). Rounding out the top five is FC Basel’s Xherdan Shaqiri, who notched 38 contributions (19 goals and 19 assists).
Lionel Messi celebrates a goal for Inter Miami. (Getty Images)
Meanwhile, Cristiano Ronaldo remains a force at age 41. While the Al Nassr captain did not crack the top 10, he comfortably secured a place among the top 20. With 31 goal contributions (29 goals and 2 assists), Ronaldo currently sits at No. 15 in the world rankings.
MLS dominance
see also
Messi nets free kick goal in his second game of 2026: When was the last time Ronaldo scored from a set piece?
Major League Soccer have seen unprecedented growth over the last few years, a surge that reached new heights following Lionel Messi’s landmark arrival at Inter Miami. Since the Argentine superstar traded Paris for South Florida, a new wave of international icons has followed suit.
High-profile stars such as Son Heung-min, who joined LAFC in a record-breaking deal from Tottenham, and Thomas Muller, who led the Vancouver Whitecaps to the 2025 MLS Cup final, have cemented the league’s status as a premier global destination.
This rapid expansion is clearly reflected in the latest performance metrics. Beyond the headline-grabbing numbers from Messi and San Diego’s Dreyer, LAFC’s Denis Bouanga remains one of the most clinical finishers in the world. The Gabonese international secured a spot in the CIES top 10 with 36 goal contributions (27 goals and 9 assists), further highlighting the high level of offensive talent currently competing in the United States.
