Inter Miami ace Lionel Messi is one of the three players to be nominated for Major League Soccer’s prestigious Newcomer of the Year Award. His nomination has come as a surprise to many, as the Argentine barely got going in the first division of American soccer.

Lionel Messi’s Debut MLS Season At A Glance

After running down his contract at Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), Lionel Messi joined MLS side Inter Miami as a free agent on July 15. He made his debut in a 2-1 victory over Cruz Azul in a Group 10 clash in the Leagues Cup. The Barcelona icon marked the occasion with a sensational free-kick goal, propelling his new employers to an important win.

Over the next six games, Messi bagged nine goals and claimed an assist, taking the Herons to Leagues Cup glory. Messi then featured in the U.S. Open Cup semi-final against Cincinnati, pitching in with a couple of assists as Vice City made their way to the final.

After mesmerizing fans in the Leagues Cup and the U.S. Open Cup, Messi made his MLS debut on August 27th, scoring a goal as Miami picked up a 2-0 win over New York Red Bulls. He drew a blank in the stalemate against Nashville but bounced back with a brace of assists as Inter Miami beat LAFC 3-1.

Messi only managed to play three of Miami’s next 10 MLS matches, due to a niggling muscular injury. The 36-year-old also proved to be ineffective in those matches, failing to either score or assist. Overall, Messi played 373 minutes in his debut MLS season, recording 20 shots and scoring once.

Alongside Messi, Atalanta United forward Giorgos Giakoumakis and St. Louis City midfielder Eduard Lowen have been nominated for the Newcomer Of The Year Award. And going strictly by the numbers, they have a much greater shot at winning the prestigious individual accolade.

A Look At Giakoumakis And Lowen’s Numbers

Both Giakoumakis and Lowen proved to be clinical as their teams secured MLS Cup Play-Off berths. Giakoumakis scored a whopping 17 goals in 27 matches to propel Atlanta to a sixth-place finish in the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Lowen pitched in with six goals and nine assists in 29 games as St. Louis City secured the top spot in the Western Conference.