Messi Has Been Named TIME’s Athlete of the Year
In the Last Year, Messi Won the World Cup, His 8th Ballon d’Or, And Now the Athlete of the Year Award
The GOAT Doing GOAT Things
The G.O.A.T wins another award and tops soccer news headlines again, but I can’t say I’m surprised that Leo Messi is stacking up more trophies than Inter Miami’s goal difference this season.
In July, the World Cup champion signed with the Major League Soccer club, mired in Eastern Conference relegation.
Immediate assistance from Messi helped Miami reverse its fortune and win its first-ever trophy, the League Cup. The 36-year-old scored ten goals for the South Florida club in seven contests en route to securing silverware.
The former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain superstar also helped his team advance to the US Open Cup final, but they were unable to defeat Houston Dynamo in a match that Messi was unable to attend due to injury.
And all of this arrived before he won the World Cup with Argentina and after he secured a record-breaking eighth Ballon d’Or award.
Messi’s Inter Miami debut was a perfect script w/ a Hollywood ending! The stars out to come see him play live and it’s a free kick for a goal in the 94th minute to give Inter Miami a 2-1 win over Cruz Azul. How can you write it any better?! #Messi pic.twitter.com/lNjhq2k77g
— Josh Moser (@TheMozKnowz) July 22, 2023
Messi: TIME’s 2023 Athlete
Now, the star’s influence on American soccer has been recognized by TIME, which has named him its 2023 Athlete of the Year.
Messi became the first individual soccer player in history to win the award following the 2019 United States Women’s National Team victory.
Lionel Messi is TIME’s 2023 Athlete of the Year https://t.co/qPR75Hgt6f pic.twitter.com/EXqxl08lZN
— TIME (@TIME) December 5, 2023
Since 1927, TIME Magazine has presented the Person of the Year award, which has been won by notable figures such as Pope John XXIII, Richard Nixon, Mark Zuckerberg, Franklin D. Roosevelt, and Barack Obama.
However, the publication’s Athlete of the Year award has only existed since 2019.
It was initially earned collaboratively by the United States Women’s National Team (USWNT) shortly after athletes such as Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan led their country to its fourth Women’s World Cup victory.
The award has also been presented to gymnastics superstar Simone Biles, NBA luminary LeBron James, and baseball star Aaron Judge.
Disclaimer for CR7 fans: Soccer rumors confirm Cristiano Ronaldo has not won the award and never will.
Lionel Messi, FIRST and ONLY football player ever to win the @LaureusSport Award for Sportsman of the Year and he won it twice. 🏅🏅
Lionel Messi, FIRST and ONLY football player ever to win the @TIME’s Athlete Of The Year award. 🏅
👑🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/Qhwu06XJHW
— All About Argentina 🛎🇦🇷 (@AlbicelesteTalk) December 5, 2023
What time is it? It’s Leo Messi TIME!
For soccer betting news, odds analysis, and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
Author: Sin City Sniper
Author: Sin City SniperBusting bookmakers and taking their money is his greatest joy in life. He’s been around the block more than once, knows the players both on and off the field of battle, and uses his experience to serve the bookies a heaping plate of humble pie washed down by a warm glass of their salty tears. You can find him in any number of Vegas books, sniping weak lines and getting paid to do it.
The opinions and view here expressed are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of Point Spreads or any of its affiliates. Point Spreads is not responsible and does not verify for accuracy any of the articles and content pieces included herein; moreover, besides being solely the opinion or views of the authors, these content pieces are not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, anyone or anything.
