SSince joining in 2023, Lionel Messi has been the undisputed face of MLS, scoring 29 goals in the regular season and winning individual awards including the title and the 2025 Golden Boot.
However, Thomas Muller, who recently signed with the Vancouver Whitecaps, needed just seven games to break one of the Argentina national team’s most iconic records: points per minute efficiency.
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A record that seemed untouchable
The 36-year-old German striker gave up his career at Bayern Munich to try out MLS, and his adaptation has been perfect. With seven goals and three assists in seven games, Muller currently leads the league in goals per 90 minutes with an average of 1.16, ahead of Messi’s 1.08 and Son Heung-min’s 1.00 during his time at LAFC.
This explosive performance not only makes him an instant benchmark in the league, but proves that experience can be just as decisive as youth in modern football. Muller totaled nine goals and four assists in nine games, leading Vancouver to a privileged position in the playoffs.
Beyond Muller’s record: Whitecaps’ penalties and playoff leadership
Muller’s influence goes beyond goal-scoring efficiency. The German has also been more effective than Messi from the penalty spot, converting six times in six attempts compared to the Inter Miami captain’s four in 84 appearances. This will strengthen his role as an offensive leader on a team aiming to advance in the postseason.
In the first playoff game against Dallas, Mueller scored his second goal in a 3-0 victory and is now gearing up for the showdown on Saturday, November 1st. With his solid role as a penalty taker and his unstoppable pace, all indications are that his goal tally will continue to rise, cementing his status as a rising star in MLS.
Will Muller be able to maintain this level and set records that even Messi cannot reach? We’ll know the answer in the coming weeks, but for now the German is already changing the narrative of the league.
