International football legend Lionel Messi has made a huge impact in America’s Major League Soccer (MLS) in his debut year. Messi won the Landon Donavan MVP Award for his impressive performance for Inter Miami.
Messi, a former Barcelona and Paris Saint- Germain star, helped Inter Miami to record points total in the regular season. However, his team lost in the first round of the MLS Cup play- offs in November.
Excellent performance by Messi:-
Messi, 37, scored 20 goals and provided 16 assists for the season, leading the league with a total of 36 goal contributions. This performance is considered highly commendable for a player of his age and a newcomer to American football.
The reason why Messi got the award is because of his impressive performance for the team despite his limited presence. For Inter Miami, he played in just 19 games in the regular season and just two in the play- offs. Still, he proved his worth and grabbed everyone’s attention with his skills.
Award Selection Process:-
The MLS MVP award is based on voting by the players, the club’s technical staff and journalists. This year Messi got 38.43% votes in this voting process. Kucho Hernandez of the Columbus Crew, who finished second, received 33.7% of the vote.
Legacy of the Landon Donavan MVP Award:-
MLS’s MVP award is officially known as the Landon Donavan MVP. The award is named after former American football player Landon Donavan. The award has previously been given to Robbie Keane of Ireland, David Villa of Spain and former American star Donavan.
Messi’s success has not only given Inter Miami, but also the MLS league more recognition globally. The arrival of Messi has given American football a new impetus and it is predicted that more world- class players will join the league in the future.
Messi’s influence:-
Having Messi in the team has benefited Inter Miami immensely from a financial and commercial point of view. Apart from filling stadiums, his fans also inspired other players of the team. Messi took the team to a different level with his skills and leadership qualities.
Future moves:-
All football fans are now looking at how Messi will play for Inter Miami next season. Reinventing American football, Messi’s performance in his debut year makes him the new face of MLS.
Messi’s award is not only an acknowledgment of his achievements, but also a symbol of his tireless efforts in world- class football.