(Los Angeles) Argentine superstar Lionel Messi was named sportsman of the year by the magazine Time Tuesday, for his impact on American football since joining Inter Miami this summer.
“Messi achieved what seemed impossible: making the United States a football country,” writes the magazine.
Awarded an eighth Ballon d’Or at the end of October, Messi (36) left Paris Saint-Germain in July to join Inter Miami, a club co-managed by David Beckham, seven months after his world champion title won at the end 2022 with Argentina.
PHOTO FROM TIME MAGAZINE WEBSITE
“My first option was to return to Barcelona, but that was not possible. It is also true that I then considered the Saudi championship, a powerful competition which could become important in the future in a country that I know,” Messi explains to Time.
“It was ultimately Saudi Arabia or MLS, and both options interested me,” continues “La Pulga”.
Winner of the Leagues Cup in August after his arrival, the club’s first trophy, Messi then had a series of absences while Inter Miami failed to qualify for the championship playoffs.
In 2024, in addition to the MLS, the Argentinian will be expected at the Copa America in June and July in the United States. The draw is scheduled for Thursday.
Messi did not close the door to a possible participation in a 6e World Cup in 2026, contested in the United States, Mexico and Canada.