Argentina and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi named Time magazine's Athlete of the Year

Break out the champagne: Argentina and Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi has been named as Time magazine’s athlete of the year.

The high honor comes only a few months after Messi named on the magazine’s list of the top 100 most influential people in April, and four months after the 36-year-old joined Miami and scored 11 goals in 14 games in all competitions, winning the South Florida team their first ever Leagues Cup trophy.

A Miami Herald analysis determined that after Messi joined Inter Miami, it became the first MLS team to average more than 30,000 fans on the road.

Messi also won the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time in October. According to the sports news site Goal.com, Messi received 105 votes more than his closest competitor.

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

The world-renowned magazine said Messi's addition to Miami had drove a huge increase in viewership of MLS games, as well as attendance, ticket and merchandise sales.

“Messi marked his arrival in the U.S. by scoring 10 goals in seven Leagues Cup games while leading Inter Miami to the championship,” the magazine writes. “A nagging injury slowed his MLS pace come September, but that hardly mattered. At 36, two decades into his unparalleled career, Messi provided a singular stimulus to soccer in America.

“Attendance, ticket prices, merchandise sales, and viewership soared. His games took on the feel of a religious revival. After Messi scored a goal against the New York Bulls in August, rapper Fat Joe posted on Instagram a video of himself, nearly in tears, shouting, “Messi! Messi! Messi!”

Messi’s honor from Time magazine places him in the historical classification of world famous athletes such as Major League Baseball player Aaron Judge, swimmer Michael Phelps and gymnast Simone Biles.

After Messi left Paris St-Germain, the Argentinian born athlete said he wanted to return to his original club in Barcelona, but his dreams brought him to South Florida instead.

“My first option was to return to Barcelona, but it was not possible,” he told Time. “I tried to return, and it did not happen.

“It is also true that later I was thinking a lot about going to the Saudi league, where I know the country and they have created a very powerful competition that can become an important league soon.

“It was Saudi Arabia or MLS, and both options seemed very interesting to me.”

On Nov. 10 Inter Miami organized Noche d’Or, an exhibition game to honor Messi after he won his eighth Ballon d’Or.

That day Messi walked onto the field in Fort Lauderdale, and triumphantly raised his trophy in the air to connect with his fans.

“What I would say to the fans is simply the same thing I said when I arrived,” Messi said. “We are going to have some very good times. We are going to compete to continue lifting trophies and enjoy ourselves.”