The Athlete of the Year category at the 2024 People’s Choice Awards had high-profile nominees including Lionel Messi, but it was Kansas City Chiefs superstar Travis Kelce who ended up taking home the prize.
The veteran tight end comes from winning Super Bowl LVIII, which was his third championship in the NFL. However, it’s safe to say Kelce won for reasons that go beyond his performances on the field.
Last year, the player made public his relationship with popular singer Taylor Swift. Since fans get to choose who wins this award, chances are many of Kelce’s votes were cast by Swifties. And not even Messi was able to beat that.
Apart from the Inter Miami star, the other nominees were NBA stars LeBron James, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Stephen Curry; WNBA sensation Sabrina Ionescu, tennis player Coco Gauff, Olympic gymnast Simone Biles. Kelce wasn’t in attendance at the ceremony, but he can take pride in beating all those names for the award.
Lionel Messi #10 of Inter Miami CF reacts during the second half of a friendly match against Newell’s Old Boys at DRV PNK Stadium on February 15, 2024 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
A new season starts for Messi
Now it’s time for Messi to start drawing all the attention again, with Inter Miami set to host Real Salt Lake on Wednesday, February 21, in the Opening Game of the 2024 Major League Soccer season.
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The Herons embarked on a global preseason tour to prepare for the new campaign, aiming to capitalize on Messi’s popularity to take their brand to new places. This year, the South Florida team played friendlies in El Salvador, Saudi Arabia, Hong Kong, and Japan.
The results were not impressive, with Gerardo Martino’s men winning only one out of seven exhibition matches. The trips also took a toll on Messi, who raised concern due to muscle discomfort.
The 36-year-old, however, looks fine for the official debut in 2024. This will be Messi’s first full season in MLS, having joined Inter Miami midway through 2023. Needless to say, all eyes will be on him.
