Because the 2025 Main League Soccer season heads towards its climax, a curious query has began to echo throughout the soccer world — Is Lionel Messi’s dominance in america starting to fade? As soon as untouchable each on and off the pitch, the Inter Miami famous person now faces surprising competitors from two world icons: Son Heung-min of LAFC and Thomas Muller of the Vancouver Whitecaps.
In a league that has revolved round Messi since he arrived in 2023, the steadiness of energy, each industrial and sporting, seems to be shifting. Son’s arrival in Los Angeles ignited a wave of recognition unseen because the days of David Beckham, whereas Muller’s late-summer arrival in Vancouver has shaken up one essential MLS efficiency metric that even the Argentine not leads.
It started with a signing that shocked each Europe and North America. In July, Son Heung-min swapped Tottenham for Los Angeles Soccer Membership, immediately turning into the face of MLS’ subsequent world chapter. Inside days of his debut, the South Korean captain scored a hat-trick and turned BMO Stadium right into a sea of black and gold No. 7 shirts.
Based on LAFC’s basic supervisor, John Thorrington, Son’s arrival created an unprecedented industrial explosion. “That is now the second week the place we’re not simply speaking concerning the highest-selling soccer jersey within the MLS,” Thorrington instructed talkSPORT. “It’s the highest-selling jersey of any sport on the earth proper now. From when he signed at LAFC to now, he has bought extra jerseys than any athlete on the earth.”
Son’s jersey has outsold not solely Messi’s but additionally these of LeBron James and Stephen Curry, a statistic that underlines the dimensions of his affect. In Los Angeles, dwelling to the biggest Korean neighborhood outdoors South Korea, Son has turn into greater than a participant. He’s a cultural phenomenon.
Son Hueng-Min of Los Angeles Soccer Membership poses together with his jersey.
Muller’s affect: Outscoring the king
If Son has conquered MLS off the pitch, Thomas Muller is shaking it up on it. The German World Cup winner joined the Vancouver Whitecaps in August 2025 after ending a storied profession at Bayern Munich — and instantly began rewriting MLS statistics. Regardless of enjoying simply seven matches, Muller has registered seven targets and three assists, showcasing his trademark effectivity and intelligence. His easy adaptation has shocked even seasoned observers.
Based on official MLS knowledge, Muller now leads the league in an important goalscoring metric — targets per 90 minutes — with 1.16 targets per sport, surpassing each Messi’s 1.08 and Son Heung-min’s 1.00.
That element, whereas seemingly minor, paints a revealing image: Muller is presently probably the most environment friendly scorer in MLS, outperforming the person many take into account the best of all time. For a participant who joined simply two months in the past, it’s a outstanding assertion.
Messi’s grip nonetheless robust — However examined
None of this implies Lionel Messi’s star is fading fully. The Inter Miami captain stays the league’s prime scorer, with 29 targets in 28 video games through the 2025 season. His affect on the pitch continues to outline the tempo and ambition of David Beckham’s membership.
Nonetheless, the cultural winds round him are shifting, and it’s not nearly numbers. It’s about notion. Messi is not the one world famous person lighting up MLS — and that competitors, whereas wholesome, alerts a turning level.
