NEW YORK — Lionel Messi has once again finished as Major League Soccer’s most popular player in the jersey market, topping the league’s 2026 rankings for a fourth consecutive season. The latest list, released by MLS on November 3, also highlights the commercial impact of several high-profile arrivals and the growing visibility of young American talent.

Messi, who represents Inter Miami CF, leads a top 10 that includes fellow global stars Son Heung-min, Thomas Müller, Robert Lewandowski and Antoine Griezmann. The rankings also feature Philadelphia Union teenager Cavan Sullivan, while Inter Miami has the strongest club representation with three players.

Top 10 Best-Selling MLS Player Jerseys Of 2026

  1. Lionel Messi — Inter Miami CF
  2. Son Heung-min — LAFC
  3. Thomas Müller — Vancouver Whitecaps FC
  4. Robert Lewandowski — Chicago Fire FC
  5. Antoine Griezmann — Orlando City SC
  6. Cavan Sullivan — Philadelphia Union
  7. Denis Bouanga — LAFC
  8. Luis Suárez — Inter Miami CF
  9. Hany Mukhtar — Nashville SC
  10. Rodrigo De Paul — Inter Miami CF

According to MLS’s official announcement, the ranking is based on total sales of adidas MLS jerseys through MLSstore.com from January 1 through October 30, 2026. The league did not publish individual sales totals, meaning the ranking shows relative order rather than the precise gap between players.

Messi’s Commercial Pull Remains MLS’s Benchmark

Messi’s continued position at No. 1 underlines the scale of his influence since joining Inter Miami in 2023. His fourth straight season leading the jersey list suggests that his appeal extends well beyond match-day performances, drawing interest from supporters who follow the Argentine superstar and the wider global football audience.

Inter Miami’s presence in the top 10 is particularly striking. Luis Suárez ranks eighth and Rodrigo De Paul tenth, giving the club three entries — more than any other team. The result reflects the visibility of a squad built around internationally recognised players, with Messi continuing to serve as its central commercial figure.

Son And Müller Lead The Chasing Pack

Son Heung-min takes second place for LAFC, with Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder Thomas Müller third. Their positions show that jersey demand is not concentrated in South Florida alone. Both players arrived in MLS with established international reputations and large followings built during successful careers in Europe and on the international stage.

LAFC also has Denis Bouanga at No. 7, making it the second club with multiple players in the top 10. The presence of Son and Bouanga gives the Los Angeles side two distinct sources of fan interest: an internationally recognised signing and a player who has become a major figure in the league through his performances.

Lewandowski And Griezmann Make Immediate Impact

Robert Lewandowski’s fourth-place finish is notable because he joined Chicago Fire during the season. MLS said his jersey had been the league’s most popular since his arrival in June, even though the full-period ranking places Messi first overall. That distinction matters: Lewandowski led the sales race over the period after his move, while Messi remained No. 1 across the January-to-October reporting window.

Antoine Griezmann also made the top five after joining Orlando City. Their rapid entry into the upper reaches of the list illustrates how the arrival of established international stars can quickly translate into merchandise interest, adding commercial attention to the sporting impact expected from marquee signings.

Cavan Sullivan Offers A Glimpse Of MLS’s Next Generation

Cavan Sullivan’s sixth-place position is one of the most interesting features of the rankings. The Philadelphia Union midfielder, aged 17, is the only teenager in the top 10 and the highest-ranked American player on the list. MLS highlighted his breakthrough season, including becoming the youngest player in league history to earn Player of the Month honours in September.

His inclusion alongside established stars suggests that jersey demand can also reflect the excitement surrounding a young player’s potential. Sullivan’s ranking gives the list a domestic-development angle, rather than making it solely a measure of the league’s international recruitment strategy.

What The Rankings Say About MLS’s Growing Appeal

Five clubs are represented in the top 10: Inter Miami, LAFC, Vancouver Whitecaps, Chicago Fire, Orlando City, Philadelphia Union and Nashville SC — seven clubs in total. Inter Miami leads with three players, while LAFC has two. The spread across teams points to a league whose merchandise audience is being shaped by both global stars and locally established fan favourites.

Four players on the list are FIFA World Cup winners: Messi and De Paul with Argentina, Griezmann with France, and Müller with Germany. Their presence reinforces the international profile MLS has assembled, while Sullivan’s position shows that emerging American talent can also attract significant attention.

However, the figures should be read with their scope in mind. They cover adidas MLS jerseys sold through the league’s official online store during the stated period; they are not a complete count of every shirt sold by independent retailers, club shops or stadium outlets. MLS has also not released unit totals, so the rankings cannot establish how far ahead one player is of another.

Even with those limits, the 2026 list delivers a clear message: Messi remains the league’s leading commercial attraction, but MLS’s jersey market is increasingly populated by a wider mix of established international names and emerging homegrown talent.

Sources

Photo: Lionel Messi during Argentina vs Egypt at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Bryan Berlin / WikiPortraits, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0.