Kljestan’s argument is not complicated: elite output still matters most, and so does winning.
The report says Messi has:
That combination is hard to ignore. In MLS, MVP cases are rarely built on reputation alone. They are built on production, big moments and team relevance. Messi still gives Miami all three. When he is healthy and sharp, he changes the rhythm of matches and the belief level of everyone around him.
Kljestan did not paint this as a runaway. “Messi and Evander are again locked in a neck-and-neck battle for MVP,” he wrote, which feels fair.
That matters because the strongest argument against naming Messi the frontrunner this early is simple: there is no daylight yet. Evander remains a serious challenger, and MVP races often turn on the final stretch rather than the summer storyline. Still, star power only carries weight when it is backed by numbers, and Kljestan’s view is that Messi’s scoring edge and Miami’s position give him the nod for now.
If Messi were to win again, the report says he would become the first player to claim the award three times. That is the kind of landmark that can shape the whole conversation. MLS has had dominant seasons and unforgettable stars, but sustained individual control of the award is rare.
The next thing to watch is whether Inter Miami can stay high in the standings and whether Messi can keep delivering through the tougher, tighter weeks ahead. If he does, the “slight edge” Kljestan talked about may not stay slight for long.