Lionel Messi nominated for ESPY best championship performance award

Lionel Messi has been nominated in three categories for the ESPY 2023. The prize is given by American TV broadcaster ABC. Messi had a spectacular year. He helped Argentina win the 2022 FIFA World Cup, scoring seven goals and providing three assists. He also scored twice in the final against France at the Lusail Iconic Stadium.

His performance has been nominated for the ESPY Best Championship Performance category. Leon Edwards (UFC), Nikola Jokic (NBA), and Rose Zhang (LPGA) are the other candidates in the category.

Messi was also nominated in the best athlete category alongside the likes of Patrick Mahomes (NFL), Nikola Jokic (NBA), and Aaron Judge (Baseball).

He is also a nominee for the best Soccer player category. Aitana Bonmati, Erling Haaland, and Sophia Smith are the other nominees on the same list. Lionel Messi won the best international athlete award at the ESPY in 2015.

The records keep piling up for Lionel Messi. He also won the Laureus Award in 2022. Messi was nominated for the prize alongside the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Mondo Dduplantis, Rafael Nadal, Max Verstappen, and Stephen Curry.

Messi's contribution to Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup-winning campaign proved decisive. He has now won the Laureus twice in his career. After being honored, he said (via Albiceleste Talk):

"For me to be at this gala, it's my first time here. It's an honor for me to share a nomination with all these enormous athletes whom I greatly admire, anyone could have won."

He added:

"It is always nice to receive recognition of this type, this year I was lucky to fulfill my great dream, to be world champion, it cost me a lot, almost my entire career, in between I went through everything, many joys with Barcelona and many sadness with the national team, but I never stopped, and everything was a lesson for me."

Messi recently announced that he will be joining MLS club Inter Miami upon the expiration of his Paris Saint-Germain contract on June 30. The 35-year-old might receive another award upon his arrival in the MLS.