Records and Lionel Messi go hand-in-hand, as there has been hardly any year that La Pulga hasn’t set a record or won a trophy. From the youngest Argentine (18 years 357 days) to score in the World Cup to the only player to score in every stage of the World Cup tournament (group stage, round of 16, quarters, semifinals and finals) – Messi has a variety of records by his name. The year 2023 has not been different for Messi, who won his record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or award in Paris. He is even one of the three finalists for FIFA Best Player of the Year 2023, to be presented in London on January 15, 2024. His move to MLS side Inter Miami in July handed him a chance to own a soccer team in the future. His deals with Apple and Adidas not only add to his fortune but also make him the richest soccer player in the world with a net worth of $ 600 Million. (Faiq Bolkiah is a prince, who tops the list, and inherits his wealth from the royal family). Search giant Google also recently released a list of most searched athletes, where Messi recorded mindboggling number of clicks. His World Cup winning jersey was also sold for record 7.8 Million, all-time high in the world of soccer.  Six Lionel Messi 2022 Football World Cup Shirts Sell for 7.8 Million USD at Auction in New York

At the club level, Messi helped Paris Saint-Germain win the 2022-23 League-1 title with an impressive 16 goals and 16 assists in 32 games, before saying adios to the French giants. He joined MLS bottom-placed Inter Miami side, which was an eyebrow-raising decision for many pundits and fans. But Messi helped the below-par team win their first competitive trophy – the 2023 Leagues Cup with a whopping 10 goals and three assists in just eight games.

The title win again was Messi’s 44th overall trophy – an all-time record in the world of soccer. It allowed Inter Miami to qualify for the CONCACAF continental championship, which would be their chance to win second honour with Argentine architecting games for them. At the international level, the Argentine forward had a very impressive year. Messi scored three goals in five World Cup qualifiers as his side tops the CONMEBOL table – with five wins and one loss. Google Year in Search 2023: From Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami CF to Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al-Nassr, Top-10 Most-Searched Sports Teams Globally

Lionel Messi already had a very storied career even before winning the 2022 FIFA World Cup, but the win put him at the same table with other footballing greats like Pele, and fellow Argentine great Maradona. And as we have seen above, the La Masia graduate enjoyed a very productive 2023 year.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 29, 2023 12:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).