Lionel Messi has been the undisputed face of MLS since his arrival in 2023. The Argentine adapted quickly with Inter Miami, securing both team titles and individual accolades, such as the 2025 MLS Golden Boot with 29 goals in the regular season. However, Thomas Muller, the star of the Vancouver Whitecaps, needed just seven matches to shatter one of Messi’s core efficiency marks.
Muller‘s adaptation to the league has been seamless, as he has recorded seven goals and three assists in just seven appearances. This output makes the German the new leader on the league’s goals-per-90-minute chart, averaging an explosive 1.16 goals per game, narrowly eclipsing Messi’s 1.08 and Son Heung-min’s 1.00 for LAFC.
The experienced 36-year-old German striker decided to leave Bayern Munich—where he spent his entire career—to immerse himself in a new experience in MLS. Despite initial questions about how he would adapt to the Canadian club, his statistics over the last two months prove adaptation was not an issue.
Muller has now played nine matches for the Whitecaps across all competitions, registering nine goals and four assists, leading Vancouver deep into the Playoffs. In Game 1 against Dallas, he scored the second goal via a penalty in the 3-0 rout, and the team will look to seal passage to the next round this Saturday, November 1st, in Game 2.
Muller outpaces Messi in another stat
Muller’s goal-scoring prowess did not stop at the goals-per-90-minute mark; he also eclipsed Messi in penalty statistics. In his nine games with the Whitecaps, the German forward has converted six penalties on six attempts, surpassing the Inter Miami captain, who has converted four penalties in his 84 appearances with the club.
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Messi has taken five penalties for the Florida side, missing only once in a 3-0 loss against Charlotte FC during the MLS regular season. However, in their total career statistics, the Argentine holds a significant advantage in penalties scored:
- Messi: Has scored 114 penalties, with 32 misses (across Barcelona, PSG, Inter Miami, and Argentina).
- Muller: Has scored 36 penalties, with eight misses (across Bayern Munich and Vancouver Whitecaps).
The disparity in attempts is clear, but Muller was not the designated penalty taker during much of his time in Germany. With the role now firmly his in MLS, his scoring output will likely continue to climb impressively.
