Inter Miami Drops Lionel Messi from MLS Best XI
Lionel Messi falls short of making the cut for the MLS 2023 best players, having participated in only six regular-season games for Inter Miami.
In a surprising turn of events for football enthusiasts worldwide, the Argentine football icon and Inter Miami forward, Lionel Messi, has been excluded from Major League Soccer’s (MLS) “Best XI.”
A social media post shared by MLS’s official X account reveals the formation of a message group titled “MLS Best XI,” featuring MVP Lucho Acosta and other notable players like Hector Herrera, Hany Mukhtar, and more, as reported by goal.com.
The admin’s message read, “Alright! We wanted you guys to hear it first: You’re all part of the 2023 MLS Best XI!” However, despite being a World Cup winner and a prominent figure at Inter Miami, Lionel Messi failed to secure a spot in the squad.
Messi, who joined Inter Miami in July earlier this year under the ownership of David Beckham, undeniably contributed significantly to elevating the league’s global and U.S. popularity.
According to goal.com, Messi’s omission from the Best XI, primarily determined by players’ performances in regular-season matches, is not unexpected, given his limited participation in just six games.
Despite Messi’s absence, the list showcases new and noteworthy faces, including MLS Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga, Cucho Hernandez, Matt Miazga, and Giorgos Giakoumakis.
Additionally, Walker Zimmerman secured a spot among the league’s best players for the fifth consecutive time.
