Lionel Messi is TIME magazine’s Athlete of the Year. And why not? The World Cup winner was the talk of the town as he won the FIFA World Cup in December 2022, only in July of 2023 to announce he was MLS bound to play for Inter Miami.

They ultimately missed out on a spot in the MLS playoffs but the 36-year-old was able to help guide the club to their first-ever trophy as they won the Leagues Cup in August, with Messi scoring in the final.

Lionel Messi has been named Time magazine’s “Athlete of the Year” for 2023 after a trailblazing season marked by an eighth Ballon d’Or award and his ground-breaking move to Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami.

Soccer superstar and Inter Miami CF player Lionel Messi has been named TIME's Athlete of 2023. Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi prepares for a throw

Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been named Time magazine's Athlete of the Year for 2023 after winning the Ballon d'Or for a record-extending eighth time and elevating the profile of the sport in the U.

Messi mania came to the United States in 2023, and Time Magazine recognized its impact. Time named Lionel Messi its 2023 Athlete of the Year on Tuesday.