Messi has added yet another personal accolade to his collection this year, as he was awarded the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time at a ceremony held in Paris at the end of October. The Argentine superstar was also named the player of the year for Inter Miami, making him the first ever recipient of this award.
The official website of Inter Miami FC has announced that their captain, Lionel Messi, has been recognized as the team’s Outstanding Player for the year 2023.
The owner of eight Ballon d’Or awards, Lionel Messi, joined Inter Miami in July of this year and quickly demonstrated his influence on the team’s playing style. Messi shone to help Inter Miami win the Leagues Cup after beating Nashville SC in a penalty shootout. This was also the first title in the club’s history since its establishment in 2018. Additionally, the Argentine superstar continued to lead the team to the final of the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup 2023, the first final held at DRV PNK Stadium. However, this time Inter Miami suffered a regrettable defeat due to Messi’s absence, as the 37-year-old player was injured and unable to participate in that match.
Messi was also awarded individual prizes for his impressive performances during the season. He won the Best Player and Top Scorer awards in the Leagues Cup after scoring 10 goals and providing 4 assists in 7 matches in the tournament. In the first half of the season at Inter Miami, Messi played in 14 games across all competitions, scoring 11 goals and providing 8 assists.
Messi has become the second Argentine, after his compatriot Gonzalo Higuain, to receive the award for the best player of Inter Miami. Currently, he is training with the Argentine national team to prepare for two important matches in the World Cup qualifiers against Uruguay and Brazil, both of which are strong opponents.
