Lionel Messi is no stranger to individual awards and titles, something he has been showered with throughout his time with FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain. He has won numerous honors and now the Argentine is speculated to lift his 8th Ballon d’Or award in Paris in the upcoming days.
Lionel Messi’s arrival in MLS has been significant. He guided his side, Inter Miami, to their first-ever trophy in August. Despite his injury, the World Cup winner has shown exceptional performance figures, even though he joined the club at the end of the season, earning him a nomination for ‘Newcomer of the Year’.
Messi’s impactful presence earns finalist nod
Earlier this month, Inter Miami were unable to clinch the MLS playoff berth as the regular season came to an end for the Miami club. They finished their league campaign in the second-to-last place in the Eastern Conference table with just 9 wins in 34 games.
Inter Miami captain, Lionel Messi is among the top three nominees of MLS Newcomer of the Year trophy this season. He has been nominated alongside Giorgos Giakoumakis of Atlanta United and Eduard Löwen of St. Louis City SC. for an award to honor the MLS’s most impactful debutants in 2023.
The 36-year-old was also listed among the 30 nominees for the League Most Valuable Player earlier nominated by the club, though failed to make the cut into the top three. One of Messi’s young Argentine teammates Thiago Almada of Atlanta made it into the final three.
In August, Messi played a monumental role in leading his new club to their first trophy, the League Cup, in addition to guiding them to the second final. Unfortunately, he missed the US Open Cup final due to an injury and they later failed to qualify for the playoffs.
How many goals has Lionel Messi scored in Inter Miami?
Only a short span of months has gone by since Lionel Messi moved to Inter Miami on a free transfer, and despite his brief stint, he has made a significant impact this season. This impact is evident not only in his goals on the pitch but also in the increase in shirt sales, stadium attendance, and overall league viewership.
In his impressive statistical figures, despite missing a few MLS fixtures due to injury, the Argentine has managed to score 11 goals and provide 5 assists in merely 14 appearances in all competitions.
