The famous football star Messi has made history by becoming the first soccer player to be honored as the “Athlete of the Year” by the prestigious magazine Time in 2023. According to reports from Spain’s Marca, Messi was recognized for winning the World Cup with the Argentina national team for the first time since 1986 and achieving other notable accomplishments in the sport. Additionally, his move to the US to play for the Inter Miami club in the MLS has also made a remarkable impact.
Messi’s efforts have helped him secure his eighth Ballon d’Or award and earn a prestigious accolade from Time magazine at the end of 2023, something previously achieved only by athletes in other sports such as LeBron James (basketball), Aaron Judge (baseball) and Simone Biles (gymnastics), according to Marca. Not only is Messi the first football player to be honored by Time, he is also the first non-American athlete to receive the magazine’s greatest honor. His impressive achievements at the World Cup 2022 in Qatar were what convinced Time to honor him. At the club level, Messi scored 16 goals and made 16 assists for PSG, winning the Ligue 1 (France) championship. In the 2022-2023 Champions League, he scored four goals and made four assists in seven games. Messi moved to David Beckham’s Inter Miami club as chairman in the summer, where he created the biggest football buzz in the United States since Beckham’s own playing days from 2007 to 2012. With Inter Miami, he won the Leagues Cup, scoring ten goals and making one assist. He also added two assists in the US Open Cup final, but Inter Miami failed to win the title, Marca reported.
In an interview with Time Magazine, Messi discussed his decision to join Inter Miami. He mentioned that he had several options, including returning to Barcelona and receiving an offer from Saudi Arabia. However, after careful consideration and consultation with his family, he ultimately decided to choose the MLS and American soccer as a new challenge to showcase his abilities and explore a new sporting culture.
