Argentina's football legend Lionel Messi, celebrated for securing his eighth Ballon d'Or on Monday, was unable to clinch the title of MLS Newcomer of the Year as he settled for the second spot. The award, recognizing the most impactful player who debuted in Major League Soccer during the 2023 regular season with prior professional experience, was bestowed upon Giorgos Giakoumakis, a forward from Atlanta United, hailing from Greece. Giakoumakis had an outstanding season, netting 17 goals for his club.
Messi made his MLS debut midway through the season with Inter Miami in July, playing his first official MLS match in late August. Despite his arrival, he couldn't elevate his team from the bottom of the league to secure a playoff spot. Nonetheless, Messi's presence significantly bolstered MLS, increasing the sales of season match packages and souvenirs, and turning every Miami game into a major attraction. He also played a pivotal role in helping Miami claim the Leagues Cup, marking the team's first victory in this competition that featured both MLS and Mexican league clubs.
In the MLS Newcomer of the Year voting, Messi was the preferred choice among MLS players, securing 35.54% of the votes compared to Giakoumakis's 34.34%. Club staff members, on the other hand, favored the Greek striker with 46.34% of the vote, while Messi received 34.15%. The media votes were overwhelmingly in favor of Giakoumakis, with 56.65% choosing him, while Messi secured 12.14% and the remaining finalist, Eduard Löwen of St. Louis City, received 20.23% of the votes.
This marks the second consecutive year that an Atlanta United player has won the MLS Newcomer of the Year award, with Thiago Almada, Messi's colleague from the Argentina national team, winning the title in 2022.
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