By EFE
03 Nov 2023, 16:00 PM EDT
Giorgos Giakoumakis, from Atlanta United, received this Thursday the award for the best MLS signing in 2023, an award for which Leo Messi was also a finalist.
The Argentine genius, who has just won his eighth Ballon d’Or, had a spectacular landing at Inter Miami and led them to the first title in their brief history (the Leagues Cup).
However, in the MLS he was not so fortunate and was only able to play six regular season games. due to an injury, a key aspect for the team in pink to be left out of the MLS Cup playoff.
With all that, Giakoumakis was chosen – with the votes of league players, teams and the media – as the best signing of 2023 after having scored 17 goals.
Only Denis Bouanga, of Los Angeles FC (LAFC), scored more goals (20) to take the Golden Boot distinction. Giakoumakis was tied for second place with Argentine Luciano Acosta (Cincinnati), who also scored 17 goals.
The Greek striker also boasted efficiency as he scored those 17 goals in 1,792 minutes, which gave him the best scoring average in the league (0.85 per 90 minutes).
Giakoumakis won the award with 45.78% of the votes ahead of Messi (27.28%) and Eduard Löwen of St. Louis City (15.44%).
The striker also took over from Argentine Thiago Almada, his teammate at Atlanta United. and that won this award in 2022.
Inter Miami will hold a ceremony for Lionel Messi after winning the Ballon d’Or
Inter Miami has decided to honor its main star, Lionel Messi, with a “Golden Night” next November 10, when the Argentine soccer player’s eighth Ballon d’Or will be celebrated.
The festivities will begin at 6:00 p.m. on Friday, November 10 (23:00 GMT) at the DRV PNK stadium in Miami with the display of the eighth Ballon d’Or that Messi received on October 30 at a ceremony held in Paris.
Messi, Inter Miami owner Jorge Mas and North American MLS commissioner Don Garger will give speeches during the event.
Keep reading:
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– What is the best goal that Messi has scored? Leo himself reveals it
– Messi is the best of the world? For Didier Deschamps that “is what the Argentines say”