Istafa Ali
Lionel Messi beats out Erling Haaland and Novak Djokovic to win the prestigious title of TIME’s Athlete of the Year 2023.
Messi’s record-setting 8th Ballon d’Or makes him an even bigger football star.
Lionel Messi is TIME's 2023 Athlete of the Year https://t.co/qPR75Hgt6f pic.twitter.com/EXqxl08lZN
— TIME (@TIME) December 5, 2023
The Argentine’s move to Inter Miami is a turning point; he takes the team to victory in the Leagues Cup, giving them their first trophy.
Looking ahead, Messi wants to keep up his great play and lead Inter Miami to victory in Major League Soccer next season.
While Messi has had a great year on and off the field, TIME magazine has named him the Athlete of the Year for his achievements.
Furthermore, Messi’s deal with Inter Miami seems to have led to a huge rise in the money that the David Beckham-owned team makes.
Since he joined Inter Miami in July of this year, Messi has had a big effect on both the team’s fame and its success on the field.
The former Barcelona forward’s signing with Inter Miami has brought unmatched fame to both the club and the league. It also seems to have brought a significant financial 9-goal streak that propelled the club to the Leagues Cup final, where they won the title in a nail-biting penalty shootout against Nashville SC.
Even though they didn’t make it to the playoffs, Messi’s signing seems to have been good for the club’s finances as well. The team is on track to become the league’s highest-earning team.
According to Sports Business Journal, Inter Miami’s business officer Xavier Asensi said that the club’s overall income is likely to be more than $120 million.
Asensi’s comments show a big rise in the club’s income, since 2022 MLS champions LAFC made $116 million last year.
The source also said that he thinks the club will make $200 million in 2024, since all of the season tickets for next year have already been sold.
Asensi’s predictions are similar to those made by the team’s managing owner, Jorge Mas, earlier this year. Mas said that the club’s income would double by the next year, from $50 million to $100 million.
