Lionel Messi Scores Again & Helps Lead Inter Miami CF to Leagues Cup Semifinals

Posted on August 12, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi continues his goal-scoring streak…

The 36-year-old Argentine soccer star maintained his record of scoring in every game for Inter Miami CF as his new team cruised into the Leagues Cup semifinals with a 4-0 win over Charlotte FC in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on Friday.

Messi’s eighth goal in five games since his arrival came with just four minutes remaining and with Miami already three goals up for the perfect finale for the close to 22,000 in attendance at DRV PNK Stadium.

Miami will travel to face last year’s Eastern Conference champions Philadelphia Union on Tuesday as they seek to continue their remarkable turnaround since welcoming the seven-time Ballon d’Or winner.

Josef Martínez scored Miami’s opening goal in the 12th minute. He took a penalty ahead of Messi for the second time in three games and once again found the net.

Miami’s second goal came just past the 30-minute mark. With Messi’s run into the penalty box taking the attention of multiple Charlotte defenders, U.S. international DeAndre Yedlin found the run of a wide open Robert Taylor to sweep home a low shot from the center of the area.

“When you have Messi, you know he just needs a chance. He just needs one second,” Charlotte coach Christian Lattanzio said. “You have to be very sharp to stop him from producing the magic he’s been producing since he went to Barcelona when he was 16.”

Perhaps no player has flourished more since Messi’s arrival than Taylor. After scoring five goals in 52 MLS appearances pre-Messi, the Finnish midfielder has four goals in five games with the Argentine great alongside him.

The impact on the team has been similar. Previously averaging just one goal per game as one of the lowest scorers in MLS, Miami has been scoring at a rate of more than three goals a game since the man with more than 800 career goals arrived.

After conceding four times in a wild round-of 16 victory at FC Dallas on Sunday, Miami’s defense also held its own at home.

With Messi’s former Barcelona teammate Sergio Busquets shielding Miami’s backline, Charlotte didn’t manage a shot on target until the 55th minute. And though the visitors posed more of an attacking threat after some half-time changes, Miami was rarely troubled.

At the other end, Messi kept pulling the strings. With 12 minutes left, he released Diego Gomez with an inch-perfect pass down the left, and the substitute’s cross was turned into his own net by Charlotte defender Adilson Malanda.

“It’s beautiful to play with each other again,” said Busquets, a former Messi teammate with Barcelona.

For those in attendance, including Argentina’s World Cup-winning coach Lionel Scaloni, the only thing missing was a Messi goal. Not one to disappoint, Messi duly delivered it after an assist from Leonardo Campana.

Messi passed Minnesota United FC‘s Bongokuhle Hlongwane for the lead in Leagues Cup goals; each entered Friday with seven in four matches. Minnesota was eliminated in a 5-0 loss at Nashville SC.

It was the second consecutive game and third time in four outings in which Miami scored four goals, part of the massive turnaround of team that is in last place in Major League Soccer‘s Eastern Conference.

Inter now is just two wins away from the first trophy in the team’s short history and a 44th in the legendary career of their new No. 10.

Lionel Messi Notches Two Goals & an Assist in First Game as an Inter Miami CF Starter

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is off to the races…

The 36-year-old Argentine professional footballer followed up his game-winning goal last week by netting two goals and logging an assist in Inter Miami CF’s 4-0 win over Atlanta United.

Messi and Sergio Busquets were officially in Inter Miami CF’s starting lineup Tuesday night at DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, for the first time since joining the MLS side.

It didn’t take long for the former Barcelona teammates to make an impact, with Busquets lofting a perfect ball over Atlanta’s defense to Messi, who missed his first attempt but put back the rebound to give Miami a 1-0 lead in the eighth minute.

Messi added another goal on a counterattack in the 22nd minute to double the margin with an assist from Robert Taylor, who scored Miami’s third to give the team a 3-0 advantage at halftime of the Leagues Cup match.

Taylor scored the final goal for Miami after the break with an assist from Messi, who was substituted in the 78th minute to a rousing ovation from the home crowd.

Busquets left the game six minutes earlier and was replaced by Victor Ulloa.

“It was a good performance and I’m pleased we were able to make our fans happy. A very good game and we took another step in the right direction,” Miami manager Gerardo Martino said.

Miami swept its group and moved on to the round of 32 in the Leagues Cup, in which it will host an opponent to be determined.

Atlanta became the 100th club that Messi has scored against.

Busquets and Messi spent 13 years playing together in Barca‘s first team before Messi moved to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021, and they have remained close friends since their trophy-laden run at Camp Nou.

“So many years playing together, so it’s very easy to play with him,” Busquets said. “I’m so happy to be by his side.”

Messi and Busquets came on as substitutes in their debuts in a dramatic win over Cruz Azul on Friday that saw Messi win the game on the final kick.

Martino managed Messi and Busquets for a season at Barcelona and said after the match he wasn’t surprised to see them connect for the opening goal.

“These two players are so good at what they do, they create space,” Martino said.

“Since those two have gotten here, the spirit has changed,” Miami right-back DeAndre Yedlin said. “Obviously, guys are really excited. But I think just their presence gives everybody more confidence. And I think also the teams that we’re playing against now have a bit of fear in their eyes. When those two are on the field, you know you’re in for a tough game.”

Miami and Atlanta are currently playing in the inaugural Leagues Cup competition — a World Cup-style tournament between MLS and Liga MX sides. Messi could make his official debut in an MLS game at home against Charlotte on August 20.

Lionel Messi to Serve as Captain for Inter Miami CF’s Leagues Cup Match Against Atlanta United FC

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is reporting for captain duty…

The 36-year-old Argentine soccer star will wear the captain’s armband and could potentially start in Tuesday’s home Leagues Cup group match against Atlanta United FC, Inter Miami CF head coach Gerardo “Tata” Martino said Monday.

“Yes, he was our captain last game as well,” Martino said when asked at Monday’s news conference if Messi would lead the squad against the coach’s former team.

“It is very likely that both Messi and Busi [Sergio Busquets] will play longer, even from the beginning. Everything will depend on how they feel. It’s just their second game.”

The former Barcelona teammates made their debuts in Friday’s 2-1 opening group stage win over Cruz Azul, going nearly 40 minutes each in a game Messi punctuated by scoring one of his trademark free kicks at the end to claim all three points.

When asked if he was shocked or surprised at the way Friday night’s game ended, Martino said: “It is something habitual from him [greatness], and because it is habitual, we try to normalize things that are not common.”

Thanks to that storybook victory, just gaining a point against Atlanta on Tuesday will secure a spot in the Leagues Cup round of 32, while a win would mean Miami would most likely host the winner of the South 2 group featuring Orlando City SC, Charlotte FC and Santos Laguna.

DeAndre Yedlin was the previous captain after replacing Gregore, who got injured in mid-March.

However, before Martino can look ahead to a potential knockout game with Inter Miami, he has the task of facing the club he built from an expansion team to MLS Cup champions in just two years before departing to coach the Mexico men’s national team.

“Atlanta is a place that is very important in my heart and a place I enjoyed,” Martino said. “Not just the club, but the two years in the city. It is a game that has a special factor.”

Miami striker Josef Martínez was a key contributor in Atlanta’s 2018 title run, and will be facing his former team for a second time if he gets onto the field Tuesday.

The 30-year-old Venezuelan scored both goals in Miami’s 2-1 win back in early May, and Martino thinks he might see something more special from him soon.

“In these last two weeks, I have found the Josef of Atlanta,” he said of his target man, who scored 111 times in 158 appearances for their former club. It’s clear that Martino has also found — in just a few training sessions and one match — what the arrival of Messi can bring to his struggling squad, not just with his actual play on the ball.

“What was seen of Messi in the game trying to order his teammates, is what he has been doing in the training sessions,” Martino said. “He helps and talks about football with his teammates.”

Speaking of teammates, another of Messi’s former Barcelona buddies, 34-year-old left back Jordi Alba, could feature in Tuesday’s game in some capacity after arriving in town only last week.

And the rumors about veteran Uruguayan striker Luis Suárez continued to fly Sunday when Inter Miami announced it had traded $150,000 in allocation money to San Jose in return for an international roster spot.

But with the hefty buyout current club Grêmio has in Suárez’s contract and the fact that time is running out before the transfer window closes in just over a week on August 2, it seems that spot will instead likely to go to 20-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder Facundo Farias, with whom the team reportedly has a verbal agreement in place.

“What we are doing is we are working on the definitive decisions about the roster,” Martino said when asked about Sunday’s move. “Between this transfer window and December-January, we have to put together a definitive team and will be managing all the variables with our directors.”

Lionel Messi Scores Game-Winning Goal in Inter Miami Debut

Posted on July 22, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi has kicked off his Major League Soccer career with a banger…

The 36-year-old Argentine professional footballer, a World Cup champion and seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, came off the bench to score one of his trademark free kicks in second-half stoppage time as Inter Miami defeated Cruz Azul 2-1 in a Leagues Cup opener for both teams.

It was 9:26 p.m. ET when Messi stopped warming up in front of the packed south stands at DRV PNK Stadium, grabbed his pink jersey and jogged to the halfway line before replacing 18-year-old midfielder Benjamin Cremaschi, himself of Argentine descent, in the 54th minute.

Up until that point, fans had only seen Messi on the bench, as the Miami substitutes strangely did their pregame and first-half warm-ups out of sight, presumably back by the locker room.

Messi’s first historic touch came with 55:30 on the clock, but it was his touch past the 90-minute mark that was the only one that mattered.

When the visitors committed a foul 25 yards out with five seconds left in the two minutes extra, everyone knew what could potentially happen next.

And it did.

Messi curled the resulting free kick into the top corner with his legendary left foot, sending the sellout crowd of around 21,000 into a frenzy.

“It was a very good game for us. We were looking for a match like this one and to give a win to these fans,” Messi told Apple TV.

“I want to thanks all these people. They are making me feel very welcomed here so I’m very happy to give this victory back to them.”

For Miami, which has the worst record in MLS, the goal was the perfect start to the team’s new era.

“I knew it was the last chance,” Messi added of his free kick. “I just tried like I always do and fortunately the goalkeeper couldn’t get the ball.

“It is important for this team to get wins because we are not in a good position in the league. I know this is another tournament but it will help our morale.”

Even before the goal, every touch from Messi was met with intense anticipation, and when he turned on a dime in the 67th minute, leaving Cruz Azul defenders in the dust, the roar from the crowd would have drowned out any small jet departing from the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport next door.

Of course, the doubters will point out that Messi showed little interest in tracking back during the game and that Cruz Azul scored their tying goal through Mexico International Uriel Antuna when Messi was on the pitch, but none of that mattered.

“It’s such a moment for this country,” Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham said. “It’s such a moment for the league. And it’s a very proud moment for us.”

For those who suggested he was coming to South Beach for an end-of-career vacation, Messi provided an ideal response.

“We should be surprised by what Messi did because it is a constant achievement,” said Gerardo “Tata” Martino, Miami’s head coach and Messi’s former one at both Barcelona and Argentina.

“For him [to sign with Miami] is a life and family choice, but he said he came to play and win and he showed that from his first game.”

Lionel Messi On Track to Make Inter Miami Debut This Weekend Following First Training Session

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is still on track to make his Inter Miami debut this weekend.

The 36-year-old Argentine professional footballer remains on track for his MLS debut after coming through his first official training session with the MLS club on Tuesday.

Miami has long targeted Friday’s Leagues Cup opener against Mexican side Cruz Azul for the Argentine superstar to make his first appearance following his blockbuster move to South Florida.

It has been a whirlwind few days for Messi, with his signing on a 2 1/2 year contract that’ll pay him between $50 million and $60 million a year being confirmed Saturday before being unveiled in front of a sell-out crowd at Miami’s DRV PNK Stadium in Fort Lauderdale the following day.

After Messi trained alongside former Barcelona teammate and fellow new signing Sergio Busquets, Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham confirmed that he expects the World Cup winner to play some part in Friday’s game.

“We don’t know if Leo will start the game or whether he’ll come on, because I think at the end of the day, he needs to be ready,” Beckham told ESPN. “We need to protect him and make sure that he’s ready because he’s had a vacation.

“He’s now been in Miami for a week and he’s been training really hard and he looks great. So I think Leo and [head coach] Tata [Martino] will decide when he plays and when he comes on on Friday, but the atmosphere here will be incredible, and hopefully we get a win.”

On Tuesday, a helicopter hovered overhead, drones buzzed around the field and about 200 media members lined up toward the back of the complex to get a look at Messi. He, like Busquets, went through a welcome tunnel as part of the first practice, which meant jogging past teammates as they lined up and clapped.

“It’s like Michael Jordan going to play, you know, overseas,” Miami’s United States international defender DeAndre Yedlin said. “You know it’s like I said, it’s not something that I would have thought would have happened in my time playing. But I’m so glad that it did.”

More international stars could soon be joining Messi, with Inter Miami’s managing owner Jorge Mas saying Tuesday that former Spain left-back Jordi Aba was set to sign later in the day, while also confirming an interest in another of Messi’s former Barcelona teammates, striker Luis Suárez.

For now, though, Mas, who also expects Busquets to make his debut Friday, said he was looking forward to a momentous occasion for a team struggling at the bottom of MLS‘ Eastern Conference after 11 games without a win.

“Friday’s match against Cruz Azul will be a very important for us because we expect to have Lionel and Busi [Busquets] debuts,” he told ESPN. “We are looking to improve our level and aiming for better results. But we also need Lionel and Tata to feel good and help them to get acclimated to the city and club.

“I personally like that Messi’s first game is going to be against a team from Liga MX for a global audience, and I hope Mexico and the United States can enjoy and celebrate this historic occasion.”

Some tickets for the game are going for as little as $275 or so on the secondary market; some of the very best seats are exceeding $19,000. Prices have been fluctuating quite a bit and likely will continue doing so until game time.

Perhaps the most emotional member of the crowd will be Beckham himself, 16 years on from making his own historic move from Real Madrid to the LA Galaxy.

“I might actually cry when I see him walk onto the pitch,” Beckham told ABC‘s Good Morning America.

“I’ve realized as I get older I get more emotional. I look at my kids I get emotional, I talk to my kids and my wife I get emotional. So I think the moment i see Leo step out onto the pitch in front of our fans, in front of this nation … I don’t know, I’ll be emotional for sure.”

Jordi Alba In Talks to Join Former Teammates Lionel Messi & Sergio Busquets at Inter Miami CF

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Jordi Alba may be reuniting with Lionel Messi and Sergio Busquets soon…

The 34-year-old Spanish professional footballer is thisclose to joining his former Barcelona teammates at Inter Miami CF, the MLS club’s co-owner Jorge Mas has revealed..

Meanwhile, the club is trying to reach a deal with a fourth former Barca teammate, Grêmio striker Luis Suárez, as he and the Brazilian side haggle over an exit fee.

“We’re going to sign Alba today,” Mas told reporters after Inter Miami’s training session in Ft. Lauderdale. “I know that [manager] Tata [Martino] is counting on him for the second half of the Cup.”

Earlier, sources told ESPN that the left-back was in the final stages of talks with the club.

Alba announced that he would be leaving Barcelona — with a year left on his contract — on May 24 after 11 seasons with the LaLiga giants.

The defender subsequently attracted interest from teams in Europe and Saudi Arabia but was persuaded by Inter Miami’s offer.

Alba was a priority for Miami, sources said, but negotiations had taken longer than expected because of problems fitting him within MLS’ strict salary restrictions.

A potential move by Suárez is also complicated by the league’s roster restrictions.

Following the signings of Messi and Busquets, Miami already had its full quota of three designated players, alongside forward Leonardo Campana.

It’s possible Alba, Suárez or Campana could be registered using targeted allocation money (TAM), but even then Miami is limited.

Mas’ comments suggest the club believes those issues have been resolved and Alba will be able to join Messi and Busquets in MLS.

For the 2023 season, the MLS salary budget is $5,210,000 per team, which excludes DPs and allocation money. Teams have $2,720,000 in TAM available in 2023 — essentially supplementing the salary cap.

But as part of the sanctions levied against Inter Miami for past violations, the club has had $2,271,250 deducted from its allocation allotment spread across the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Meanwhile, Suárez, 36, is willing to return a total of $10 million of his earnings to walk away from Brazil, but sources said Grêmio also want guarantees that the Uruguayan player will not play at any other club in 2023.

Suárez is keen to join his former Camp Nou teammates Messi and Busquets despite saying in June that it would be “impossible.”

On Tuesday, Mas also said: “I don’t know how Luis Suárez can leave Grêmio. But if he does, we are free to talk to Luis and bring him to Inter Miami. That possibility would be there.”

“I consider him a star player, with an incredible career. And we all know he has a personal relationship with Lionel [Messi], Busi [Busquets] and Jordi [Alba]. We are all in and we will welcome any player with the kind of career that Luis has but we have to know more about his future before doing any move,” Mas added in an interview with ESPN.

Suárez, who has a contract with Grêmio through 2024 and has scored 13 goals in 30 games for the club, has repeatedly complained of pain in his right knee.

Sources said the impasse is over Suárez’s fitness regarding the knee pain he has had since May. Grêmio manager Renato Gaúcho and club officials are aware of the knee issues, but sources told ESPN that Suárez has said that if he is released from the club and recovers before the end of the year, he should have the right to return to play with his new team.

Three Grêmio club doctors have examined Suárez’s knee, and sources said Suárez has been obliged to play through the pain until the club can find a substitute for the striker.

Sources said Suárez feels as though his knee cannot handle the sheer number of matches required by the Brazil league and does not want to let the fans down. Suárez has said he would prefer to play in a league with an easier calendar, such as MLS, according to sources.

Suárez signed with the Porto Alegre-based club on a free transfer with a two-year deal in 2022 after leaving his boyhood club Nacional in Uruguay. In three months with Nacional, he scored eight goals in 16 games and won the Uruguayan championship.

Previously, the 35-year-old enjoyed success in Europe with Ajax Amsterdam, Liverpool, Barcelona and Atletico Madrid. He won five LaLiga titles in seven years in Spain.

Inter Miami hasn’t won an MLS match in more than two months. It has gone 0-8-3 in regular-season play since beating New England on May 13.

Inter Miami Completes Signing of Sergio Busquets

Posted on July 16, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

It’s official… Sergio Busquets will be playing Major League Soccer.

Inter Miami has completed the signing of the 35-year-old Spanish professional footballer and former Barcelona midfielder on a deal until 2025, the MLS side has revealed.

The 2010 World Cup winner will join the squad in the coming days and will occupy a designated player slot, the club added.

“I am excited to welcome Sergio Busquets to Inter Miami,” said managing owner Jorge Mas. “Since day one we have set out to bring the world’s best players. Sergio’s repertoire speaks for itself.”

The former Barcelona captain, who retired from international duty last year, played more than 700 games for the Spanish champions, winning nine LaLiga crowns, seven Copa del Rey titles, three Champions League trophies and three Club World Cups.

Busquets was also linked with a move to Saudi Arabia as Al Hilal and Al Nassr made bids for his services, according to media reports.

Miami expect Busquets to be available to play next Saturday when they host Mexican side Cruz Azul for their Leagues Cup opener, when Messi is set to make his debut.

The MLS designated player rule allows clubs to acquire up to three players whose total compensation and acquisition costs exceed the salary cap.

Lionel Messi Wins Two ESPY Awards

Posted on July 13, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is celebrating a double victory…

Winners of this year’s ESPY Awards winners, with the 36-year-old Argentine soccer star earning two awards during Wednesday’s ceremony.

Messi, who is readying to play with Inter Miami CF, won the trophies for Best Championship Performance (for his World Cup performance) and Best Soccer Player.

ESPN’s ESPY Awards celebrate the best players, teams and moments in the world of sports.

The show was broadcast on ABC.

Here are the winners:

Best Team: Kansas City Chiefs
Best WNBA Player: A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces
Best UFC Fighter: Jon Jones
Best Comeback Athlete: Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Best Athlete, Men’s Sports: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Best Athlete, Women’s Sports: Mikaela Shiffrin, Skiing
Best Championship Performance: Lionel Messi, Argentina — World Cup Final
Best Boxer: Claressa Shields
Best Breakthrough Athlete: Angel Reese, LSU Tigers Women’s Basketball
Best Play: Justin Jefferson with the catch of the century
Best Record-Breaking Performance: LeBron James surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for NBA career scoring record
Best College Athlete, Men’s Sports: Caleb Williams, USC Football
Best College Athlete, Women’s Sports: Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Best Athlete with a Disability: Zach Miller, Snowboarding
Best NFL Player: Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Best MLB Player: Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Best NHL Player: Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
Best NBA Player: Nikola Jokic, Denver Nuggets
Best Driver: Max Verstappen, F1
Best Soccer Player: Lionel Messi, Argentina/PSG
Best Golfer: Scottie Scheffler
Best Tennis Player: Novak Djokovic
Arthur Ashe Award for Courage: U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team
Jimmy V Award for Perseverance: Liam Hendriks, Chicago White Sox
Pat Tillman Award for Service: Buffalo Bills training staff
Muhammad Ali Sports Humanitarian Award: Jrue and Lauren Holiday
Billie Jean King Youth Leadership Award: Jordan Adeyemi, Ashley Badis, Rishan Patel

Gerardo “Tata” Martino Named Coach of Inter Miami CF

Posted on June 28, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Gerardo “Tata” Martino is returning to Major League Soccer…

The 60-year-old Argentine professional football manager and former player has been hired as the coach of Inter Miami CF, the club has revealed.

The hire comes in the wake of fellow Argentine Lionel Messi‘s announcement earlier this month that he intends to sign with the club. Martino previously coached Messi with Barcelona (2013-14) and the Argentina national team (2014-16).

“We are very happy to be able to welcome Tata to Inter Miami. We feel he is a coach who matches our ambitions as a club and we’re optimistic about what we can accomplish together,” Inter Miami managing owner Jorge Mas said in a statement.

“Tata has coached at the highest levels and we believe that experience will be hugely beneficial to us as we aim to compete for titles here.”

Most recently, Martino coached the Mexico national team (2019-2022) after a two-year stint with Atlanta United, where he won MLS Cup and the Sigi Schmid Coach of the Year award in 2018.

“Right now, this is a team that shows an adverse picture in the standings,” Martino said of the Eastern Conference‘s last-place team. “It is also decimated by injuries and by the players called up to their national teams.

“But there are great expectations around the new players that are going to come soon. They are really important. I hope that they can help us to make the team better from an emotional and playing point of view so we can have a season-ending more in line with what is expected of this club.”

Martino is the third permanent head coach Inter Miami has had since joining the league in the 2020 season. Former Uruguay national team coach Diego Alonso coached the team during its expansion season before Phil Neville was hired prior to the 2021 season.

Miami qualified as the No. 6 seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs last season but was eliminated in the first round. Neville was fired earlier this month with the team in last place.

Mas told media outlets last week he expects Messi to play his first game for the club on July 21 in the Leagues Cup against Liga MX‘s Cruz Azul. The club also announced Messi’s longtime teammate at Barcelona, Sergio Busquets, will also make the move to South Florida and Inter Miami this summer.

Lionel Messi Earns Three 2023 ESPYs Nods, Including One for Best Athlete, Men’s Sports

Posted on June 25, 2023 by Tom Castaneda

Lionel Messi is one step closer to being heralded this year’s best athlete…

ESPN has revealed the nominees for its 2023 ESPYs, with the 36-year-old Argentine soccer star earning three nominations.

Messi, who helped Argentina win the 2022 FIFA World Cup, scoring seven goals and providing three assists, is nominated for Best Athlete, Men’s Sports. It’s his first nod in the category.

He’s also up for Best Championship Performance for the 2022 World Cup final, as well as Best Soccer Player for performance with the Argentina national team and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG).

But Messi isn’t the only Latinx nominee…

Seattle Mariners’ star player Julio Rodriguez has earned a nod in the Best Breakthrough Athlete category; Amanda Nunes is up for Best UFC Fighter; Jon Rahm is nominated in the Best Golfer category; and Carlos Alcaraz is up for Best Tennis Player.

The hardware will be handed out July 12 in Los Angeles, with ABC airing the ceremony live at 5:00 pm PT/8:00 pm ET.

Here are all the nominees for the 2023 ESPYs:

BEST ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs
Lionel Messi, Argentina

BEST ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS
Mikaela Shiffrin, Ski
Sophia Smith, Portland Thorns
Iga Świątek, Tennis
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Angel Reese, LSU Women’s Basketball
Julio Rodríguez, Seattle Mariners

BEST RECORD-BREAKING PERFORMANCE
Novak Djokovic wins his 23rd Grand Slam title
LeBron James surpasses Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for NBA career scoring record
Mikaela Shiffrin breaks the record for the most World Cup victories
Max Verstappen, Red Bull, set record for most wins in a season

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE
Leon Edwards, UFC – defeats Kamaru Usman to win UFC welterweight title
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets – 2023 NBA Finals MVP
Lionel Messi, Argentina – 2022 World Cup Final
Rose Zhang, LPGA – first woman in 72 years to win her first professional start.

BEST COMEBACK ATHLETE
Jon Jones, UFC
Jamal Murray, Denver Nuggets
Alyssa Thomas, Connecticut
Justin Verlander

BEST PLAY
Michael Block’s hole in one – Golf
Justin Jefferson with the Catch of the Century, NFL
Ally Lemos with the perfect corner to tie the National Championship game, NCAA
Trinity Thomas’ Perfect 10 to tie NCAA Record, NCAA

BEST TEAM
Denver Nuggets, NBA
Georgia Bulldogs, NCAA Football
Kansas City Chiefs, NFL
Las Vegas Aces, WNBA
Louisiana State Tigers, NCAA Women’s Basketball
Oklahoma Sooners, NCAA Softball
Vegas Golden Knights, NHL

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, MEN’S SPORTS
Zach Edey, Purdue Basketball
Duncan McGuire, Creighton Soccer
Brennan O’Neill, Duke Lacrosse
Caleb Williams, USC Football

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE, WOMEN’S SPORTS
Jordy Bahl, Oklahoma Softball
Caitlin Clark, Iowa Women’s Basketball
Izzy Scane, Northwestern Lacrosse
Trinity Thomas, Florida Gators Gymnastics

BEST ATHLETE WITH A DISABILITY
Erica McKee, Sled Hockey Team
Zach Miller, Snowboarding
Aaron Pike, Wheelchair Racing & Cross-Country Skiing
Susannah Scaroni, Wheelchair Racing

BEST NFL PLAYER
Nick Bosa, San Francisco 49ers
Jalen Hurts, Philadelphia Eagles
Justin Jefferson, Minnesota Vikings
Patrick Mahomes, Kansas City Chiefs

BEST MLB PLAYER
Paul Goldschmidt, St. Louis Cardinals
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Angels
Justin Verlander, Houston Astros

BEST NHL PLAYER
Jonathan Marchessault, Vegas Golden Knights
Connor McDavid, Edmonton Oilers
David Pastrňák, Boston Bruins
Linus Ullmark, Boston Bruins

BEST NBA PLAYER
Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat
Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers
Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets
Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

BEST WNBA PLAYER
Skylar Diggins-Smith, Phoenix Mercury
Candace Parker, Chicago Sky (Current Las Vegas Aces)
Breanna Stewart, Seattle Storm (Current New York Liberty)
A’ja Wilson, Las Vegas Aces

BEST DRIVER
Brittany Force, NHRA
Kyle Larson, NASCAR
Josef Newgarden, IndyCar
Max Verstappen, F1

BEST UFC FIGHTER
Leon Edwards
Jon Jones
Islam Makhachev
Amanda Nunes

BEST BOXER
Gervonta Davis
Devin Haney
Claressa Shields
Shakur Stevenson

BEST SOCCER PLAYER
Aitana Bonmatí, Spain/Barcelona
Erling Haaland, Norway/Manchester City
Lionel Messi, Argentina/PSG
Sophia Smith, USWNT/Portland Thorns

BEST GOLFER
Wyndham Clark
Nelly Korda
Jon Rahm
Scottie Scheffler

BEST TENNIS PLAYER
Carlos Alcaraz
Novak Djokovic
Aryna Sabalenka
Iga Świątek

Hispanically Yours

Celebrating the Latino Influence

Tag Archives: Lionel Messi