Lionel Messi wins unprecedented title

Lionel Messi continues to make headlines as he has been named TIME magazine's Athlete of the Year. The Inter Miami star received the prestigious award for the incredible impact he has had on soccer in the United States.

The 36-year-old moved to Inter Miami in July this year and immediately made a transformative impact on Inter Miami and Major League Soccer (MLS) in general.

Messi has been instrumental in helping the team win its first championship in history with the 2023 Leagues Cup title. Messi's influence extends far beyond the locker room and has helped change the perception of soccer in the United States, which has traditionally been weak compared to other sports such as basketball or football.

It’s worth noting that on the day Messi made his Inter Miami debut, Apple added around 110,000 new US subscribers to its MLS Season Pass, a digital TV service that streams all MLS games. That represents a 1,700% increase, and it’s the largest increase ever recorded in Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, and Europe.

Additionally, Inter Miami has seen revenue rise to a record $120 million in 2023, more than double what they reported 12 months ago, and is now on track to surpass $200 million.

Messi's arrival in MLS is certainly sparking a new wave of interest in soccer in the United States. FC Dallas president Dan Hunt told TIME about the new momentum Messi has brought to the entire MLS. "It's really the massive impact Messi has had. American audiences don't care about Messi scoring goals, they just want to see him live," Hunt explained.

The prestigious TIME magazine is famous for its iconic Person of the Year award, which has been presented annually since 1927. In its nearly 100-year history, the award has gone to famous figures such as Winston Churchill, Martin Luther King Jr. and Elon Musk...

However, the new Athlete of the Year award was first presented in 2019. The Argentine star became the first non-US citizen to win the title.

Previously, TIME awarded the title of Athlete of the Year to individuals and groups including the US women's soccer team (2019), LeBron James (2020), Simone Biles (2021), Aaron Judge (2022).

Messi admitted to TIME that he considered other possibilities, including returning to Barcelona or moving to Saudi Arabia, before choosing MLS.

“The truth is that I had some interesting options on the table and I had to analyze, think, even consider with my family before making the final decision to come to Miami,” Messi said after receiving the award.