Lionel Messi has been nominated for Major League Soccer’s 2023 MVP Award – despite playing in just four league matches for Inter Miami.
The former Barcelona captain joined Inter Miami in July from French Lique giants PSG and immediately got to work in the Leagues Cup, helping his new team to the trophy.
In the regular league season, though, the Argentine super star has started just three times, coming off the bench in one further appearance – and has missed the last four games owing to injury.
Despite that, he has been included among the 30-man shortlist for the ‘Landon Donovan MLS MVP’ award, alongside Miami teammate Sergio Busquets, as well as the 27 listed players for the Newcomer of the Year trophy.
Other players in the league have featured in as many as 32 MLS games this season, leading to some questions from fans over whether Messi deserves his place among the greats quite yet.
There is no doubt about the commercial impact the World Cup winner has had on MLS, with jersey sales through the roof and an Apple TV docuseries on his arrival soon to drop.
On the field, Messi has scored one MLS goal and provided two further assists, his only strike coming in the game away at New York Red Bulls when he came off the bench in the second half.
Among the other big names nominated for the MLS MVP award are Messi’s Argentina teammate Thiago Almada, his former Barcelona teammate Riqui Puig, and current top scorer, LAFC’s Denis Bouanga.
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