Lionel Messi was awarded the Times Athlete of the Year 2023 a few days ago. The Argentina captain became the first footballer ever to win this prestigious award, but did he deserve it? Most probably not.
While calling Lionel Messi as one of the best players ever to grace the football pitch is not an exaggeration by any stretch of imagination, the decision to present the Times Athlete of the Year 2023 was perhaps a bit farfetched.
The innumerable supporters of Messi can argue that the Argentine world champion won his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023. While Messi no doubt etched his name in the history books as the only footballer to win the award eight times, let’s be honest here, Messi’s 8th came because of his World Cup heroics in December of 2022 when he guided Argentina to glory.
Lionel Messi’s trophies in 2023
However, Messi’s only trophies in 2023 were Ligue 1 and Trophée des Champions with PSG and Leagues Cup with Inter Miami. Messi’s Inter Miami even failed to qualify for the playoffs of the Major League Soccer. The fact that the award is called Times Athlete of the YEAR 2023 is enough proof that it is an award for an athlete that has performed miraculously in 2023. 2023 has been good for Messi, but not THAT good.
Even if the achievements of Lionel Messi in 2023 can be seen in great light in the world of football, are they overwhelming enough to warrant an ATHLETE of the Year Award? Weren’t there any other athletes that deserved this award in the wide range of the term? Let’s take a look at what some other athletes have achieved during the year.
Max Verstappen, Formula One
F1 driver Max Verstappen had a stellar year. Verstappen had statistically the greatest Formula 1 season in history, winning 19 out of 22 races in the year. Many records such as most laps led in a season, biggest points gap to second in the championship and more tumbled as the Red Bull went about doing his job in the year. His victory in the streets of Vegas meant he had won every grand prix in the United States in 2023 alone. If this performance doesn’t deserve the Athlete of the Year award, it is hard to imagine what does.
LeBron James, Basketball
According to his 2023 NBA Player Capsule, James had the 20th best statistical season in NBA history. He averaged almost 29 points, slightly more than eight rebounds, and about seven assists per game. No other player in the league came close to his performance. James was the driving force behind the LA Lakers’ offence, and he was brilliant on defence late in games when the Lakers needed him most, leading them to a Western Conference finals appearance. 38-year-old James also became the league’s all-time leading scorer, passing Kareem Abdul Jabbar. He also moved into fourth place on the NBA’s all-time assists list.
Novak Djokovic, Tennis
Novak Djokovic has been one of the best players in the world this year. He has won Adelaide International, the Australian Open and the French Open, and US Open – the latter being his 24th Grand Slam title overall, two clear of Nadal’s Grand Slam tally (22). He also made it to the Wimbledon final, where he lost a thrilling match to the 20-year old Argentine, Carlo Alcaraz. But that is not all. On February 27, 2023, it was Djokovic’s 378th consecutive week at number one in the men’s singles rankings, setting a record for the most weeks spent at number one in men’s or women’s tennis. Djokovic’s first round win in Nitto ATP Finals against Holger Rune ensured Djokovic won his 8th ATP Year-End Number One trophy too.
Erling Haaland, Football
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland arguably had a better season that Lionel Messi in football. Haaland hit the ground running after arriving in Manchester. The striker scored over 50 goals in his first Premier League season, and helped Manchester City win the treble of UEFA Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup. Moreover, he broke numerous Premier League records in his first season itself. It should also be kept in mind that Haaland won the biggest trophies there is to win in club football in 2023.
Lionel Messi, on the other hand, moved to a ‘minor league’ (by his own admission) in the summer of 2023. He won a single trophy in the form of a Leagues Cup since moving to United States. How can that be enough to win a prestigious award such as the one from Times? The reason for choosing Messi as the Athlete of the Year 2023 out of all those years when he dominated teams from the top leagues of the world will remain a mystery.
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