Upon his arrival at Inter Miami, Lionel Messi wasted no time making his mark on the team’s performance in the American Professional League (MLS), ultimately guiding them to their inaugural championship victory. Despite his significant contributions, it came as a surprise when Messi was not selected as the MLS Rookie of the Year for the 2023 season.

Since joining the club in July, Messi quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with. The acclaimed Argentine striker showcased his extraordinary skills by scoring an astonishing 10 goals in just 7 matches, often coming to the rescue of his team and playing a crucial role in Inter Miami’s milestone achievement of clinching the Leagues Cup. Additionally, Messi played an instrumental part in his team’s triumph in the semi-finals of the US Open Cup.

However, Messi’s unfortunate injury prevented him from participating in the tournament’s final, resulting in Inter Miami’s unfortunate 1-2 defeat against the Houston Dynamo. Throughout his 14 appearances for the club, the revered World Cup champion from Argentina managed to score an impressive total of 11 goals.

As soon as Lionel Messi joined Inter Miami in the American Professional League (MLS), he had an immediate impact on the team. However, his journey took an unfortunate turn when he suffered an injury that put a halt to his momentum. This setback came at a crucial time for Inter Miami as they were vying for a place in the MLS play-off round, leaving Messi with limited playing time. Consequently, he only made four appearances in the starting lineup, managing to score just one goal and provide two assists. Without Messi’s presence, Miami’s performance visibly declined, ultimately preventing them from qualifying for the MLS play-offs. Interestingly, despite recently securing his eighth Golden Ball title, the 36-year-old football icon was not chosen as the MLS Rookie of the Year for 2023.

In a surprising turn of events during the 2023 MLS Rookie of the Year race, an unexpected victor emerged, surpassing even the renowned Lionel Messi. The honor went to Giorgos Giakoumakis, a talented striker currently playing for Atlanta United. Originating from Greece, Giakoumakis made the brave decision to leave Scotland’s Celtic and pursue his soccer journey with Atlanta back in February.

Since joining Atlanta, the 28-year-old striker has showcased his remarkable skills on the field, participating in 27 matches and scoring an impressive 17 goals while providing 3 assists to his teammates.

Giakoumakis secured a solid victory in the competition, garnering an astonishing 45.8% of the votes. This overwhelming support left runner-up Messi far behind, with a mere 27.3% of the votes. It’s important to note that this esteemed award recognizes the rookie season with the most impact in the MLS, with players, staff, and media all involved in the voting process.

Notably, Giakoumakis not only claimed this prestigious title but also secured a place in the history books. He becomes the second consecutive Atlanta player to be honored with this award, following in the footsteps of Thiago Almada in 2022. Furthermore, he joins an exclusive group of players as the third in Atlanta’s history to receive this recognition, with Miguel Almiron being the first to accomplish this feat back in 2017.