Lionel Messi has been voted Time magazine’s “Athlete of the Year” for 2023 following a brilliant season that included his groundbreaking transfer to Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami and an eighth Ballon d’Or award.

According to Time, the Argentine sensation has already fundamentally changed the US sports scene, which has always been hesitant to accept football.

“Lionel Messi this year managed to do what once seemed impossible when he signed with Inter Miami: turn the US into a soccer country,” said Time.

The 36-year-old Messi made his Miami debut in July after leaving Paris Saint-Germain with controversy.

In addition, the World Cup champion turned down a lucrative transfer to Saudi Arabia in favor of starting a new chapter in MLS.

The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had an immediate positive effect on Miami’s results, as he was instrumental in the team’s victory in the expanded Leagues Cup, a cross-border competition including teams from the Mexican top division and Major League Soccer.

Messi had 11 goals in 14 games in all competitions before the end of the season, although he was unable to assist Miami advance to the playoffs due to an injury near the end of the campaign.

Time said that Messi had stated that a fairytale return to Barcelona had been his first choice following PSG, but that move had been put on hold due to the club’s financial difficulties.

Messi stated, “I tried to return, and it did not happen,” and that he was also “thinking a lot” about following the current wave of international athletes to the Saudi Pro League.

Messi told the magazine, “It was either Saudi Arabia or Major League Soccer, and both options seemed very interesting to me.”

According to Time, Messi’s entrance caused a spike in attendance, ticket prices, item sales, and viewership. It also revealed that on the day of his debut, Apple TV subscriptions—which holds the exclusive rights to MLS—had increased by 110,000, or 1,700 percent, compared to the day before.