Surridge's best league goal tally in England was eight in a season in League Two, and he scored 12 goals last MLS season before netting 21 this season.

Lionel Messi, 38, has scored 61 goals in 74 games for Inter Miami but has yet to win the MLS Golden Boot; he previously won the Pichichi Trophy in Spain eight times and the European Golden Shoe five times.

Sam Surridge, 27, who has played for clubs across England including Bournemouth, Swansea, Stoke, and Nottingham Forest, is now the second top scorer in Nashville's history with 43 goals.

As of September 14, 2025, Surridge is competing with Lionel Messi for the MLS Golden Boot, leading by two goals.

Surridge is only the second English player to win the MLS Golden Boot, after Bradley Wright-Phillips, with other winners including Landon Donovan, Sebastian Giovinco, Carlos Vela, and Christian Benteke.

Surridge credits his varied experiences in different levels of football for developing a strong grinding mentality, which has been key to his success in MLS.