Lionel Messi was chosen Athlete of the Year by the prestigious American magazine TIMEwhose most recent cover shows the world champion with the shirt of his current team: Inter Miami.
“What happened at that moment, on July 21, 2023, in Fort Lauderdale, still seems surreal. Lionel Messi, in his first game wearing the pink jersey of Inter Miami, received a free kick in the last seconds of his debut in the Major League Soccer (MLS)”, this is how the article begins TIMEin which the reason for the decision is argued in detail.
“At 36 years old, two decades into his incomparable career, Messi provided a unique stimulus to soccer in the United States. Attendance, ticket prices, merchandise sales and viewership skyrocketed. “His games took on the feel of a religious revival,” journalist Sean Gregory argued in the article.
“Here was the greatest living soccer player, possibly the greatest to ever play the world’s most popular game, who last year led Argentina to its first World Cup victory in almost four decades, preparing for a club that ranks last in the United States,” the article continues.
However, the publication recalls that, thanks to its brilliant performance, The Argentine player gave the first title in the history of the institution (Leagues Cup) and helped Inter Miami reach the final of the US Open Cup.
He scored 11 goals and provided five assists in 14 games. As if that were not enough, the footballer completed the year with his eighth Ballon d’Or.
Although the United States has never fully embraced soccer, the country is now preparing to host three major tournaments in the coming years: the Copa América in 2024, the FIFA Club World Cup in 2025 and the World Cup in 2026. , a pull that the article considers in part due to Messi’s influence in the country.
“The United States is now a soccer nation. A soccer nation”the publication concluded.
Lionel Messi decided to take an important turn in his sporting career after leaving Paris Saint Germain (PSG).
After marking an era at Barça and playing two seasons for the French team, the Argentine footballer chose to put an end to his journey through Europe to end up in the Major League Soccer from the United States, where he has generated a true revolution with the Inter Miami shirt and where he hopes to continue giving joy to his followers and football lovers in general.
