Since his arrival in 2023, Lionel Messi has been the undisputed face of MLS, winning titles and individual awards such as the 2025 Golden Boot with 29 goals in the regular season.
However, Thomas Muller, a recent signing for the Vancouver Whitecaps, needed just seven games to break one of the Argentine’s most iconic records: goalscoring efficiency per minute.
A record that seemed untouchable
The 36-year-old German striker left behind a career at Bayern Munich to take on the challenge of MLS, and his adaptation has been perfect. With seven goals and three assists in seven games, Muller now leads the goals per 90 minutes statistic with an average of 1.16, surpassing 1.08 for Messi and 1.00 for Son Heung-min at LAFC.
This explosive performance not only makes him an immediate benchmark in the league, but also demonstrates that experience can be as decisive as youth in modern soccer. In total, Müller has nine goals and four assists in nine official matches, taking Vancouver to a privileged position in the playoffs.
Beyond Müller’s record: penalties and playoff leadership for the White Caps
The impact of Müller is not limited to goal-scoring efficiency. The German has also surpassed Messi in effectiveness from the penalty spot: six conversions from six attempts, compared to the four that the Inter Miami captain has achieved in 84 appearances. This reinforces his role as an attacking leader in a team looking to go far in the postseason.
In the first playoff game against Dallas, Müller scored the second goal in a 3-0 victory and is preparing for the decisive match on Saturday, November 1. With the role of penalty taker assured and an unstoppable pace, everything indicates that his goal tally will continue to grow, consolidating his status as the new star of MLS.
Will Müller be able to maintain this level and set a record that not even Messi can reach? The answer will be known in the coming weeks, but for now, the German has already changed the narrative in the league.
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