The captain of the Argentina team for 2022 and holder of 8 Ballon d'Ors has had a "sublime" season.

Despite being out of the limelight in European soccer, the Argentinian star was voted the 2023 Athlete of the Year by US magazine Time on Tuesday.

According to the international press, the publication is known for choosing the world's leading personality every year. This has been the case since 1927. Over the years, John F. Kennedy, Joseph Stalin and Adolf Hitler have been chosen by the American magazine.

Messi, who won the French championship with Paris Saint-Germain in addition to his achievements with Argentina last season, became the first male footballer to win the award.

In 2019, the US women's national soccer team was collectively voted "Athlete of the Year" after winning the World Cup. LeBron James, Simone Biles and Aaron Judge (basketball) won in subsequent years.

Following the announcement of Messi's signing, Inter Miami's Instagram followers grew to 5.7 million, more than any NFL or MLB team.

In the Leagues Cup, a tournament that takes place during the MLS season, Messi won his first title with Inter Miami. With ten goals in seven games, the number 10 was crowned champion of the competition.