On Monday, Lionel Messi was named FIFA's best men's player for 2023. Despite leaving the spotlight of European football behind, Messi continues to draw attention and win the biggest honors in the sport.
The decision to choose the 36-year-old over Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe, the pretenders to his crown, was contentious in the year that Messi joined Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, which many view as a step down in quality.
Nevertheless, Messi's ability to draw crowds was evident last year as he swiftly took over the US.
The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner helped a previously struggling team win the Leagues Cup in August, marking the first trophy the David Beckham-coowned team ever won.
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Before departing Europe, he also won another league championship with Paris Saint-Germain, but his last few months there were anything but easy.
The PSG supporters jeered Messi, and the team even suspended him for traveling without permission to complete business deals in Saudi Arabia.
That gave the impression that he was a genius in decline, even though his peak may have been higher than anyone else's.
Haaland only needs to pay attention to his manager if he feels that his best is still to come despite having a stellar rookie season at Manchester City, where he scored 52 goals and won the treble.
Pep Guardiola oversaw City's Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup triumphs in the previous season and was recognized as coach of the year at FIFA's awards ceremony in London.
Guardiola is well aware of Messi, the generational talent he had the good fortune to witness up close during his four years as Barcelona's manager.
"Always I said that the Ballon d'Or should be in two sections, one for Messi, and after look for the other one, so Haaland should win, yes," said Guardiola ahead of October's Ballon d'Or ceremony.
"We won the treble because he scored 50 million goals but of course Messi...the worst season for Messi is the best for the rest of the players."
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