Lionel Messi misses out on 2025 Best South American Player award as star from Brazilian giants named winner

Lionel Messi has missed out on the prestigious 2025 Best South American Player award despite his stunning season with Inter Miami. Flamengo star Giorgian De Arrascaeta took home the award with over two-thirds of the vote.

As per World Soccer Talk, over 250 journalists voted in the El País award, and Messi came second with just under 15% of the votes. The Inter Miami captain managed to get just 39 votes to his name, while third-placed Andrian Martinez got 12.

De Arrascaeta played a key role for Flamengo last season, scoring 23 goals and assisting 10 times across 61 appearances in all competitions. In 2025, he won the FIFA Challenger Cup, the FIFA Derby of the Americas, the Copa Libertadores, the Brazilian Serie A, the Supercopa do Brasil, and the Campeonato Carioca with his club.

Meanwhile, Messi helped Inter Miami win the MLS Cup for the first time in their history. He finished as the top scorer and assist provider in the American league and said (via GOAL):

"Three years ago, I decided to come to MLS, and today we are MLS champions. We reached the semifinals of the [CONCACAF] Champions Cup. Last year, we went out early in the league and were eliminated in the first round. This year, winning the MLS was one of our main objectives. The team made a huge effort - it was a very long year, with many matches - and we were up to the task all season. This is the moment I had been waiting for, and that we, as a team, were waiting for. It's very beautiful for all of us. They deserved it."

Lionel Messi also extended his contract at the club until 2028.

Lionel Messi and Inter Miami will down tools in 2026, said Tim Howard

Former goalkeeper Tim Howard belives Inter Miami and Lionel Messi will down tools in the first part of the 2026 season. He claimed that they will be exhausted from the 2025 season and also have the FIFA World Cup at the back of their minds and said on the Unfiltered Soccer podcast (via GOAL):

"There's no doubt in my mind that that team will down tools [because of the World Cup]. There's no doubt in my mind. Not because they're bad guys. Not because they're bad, but because literally the exhaustion. And by the way, don't forget, Messi, who runs this team. He's the heartbeat of his team, right?" "He's not gonna play a ton of minutes before the World Cup, FYI, MLS. He's basically gonna look at the calendar when it comes out, speak to Mascherano, and just say, 'All right, I'll play here, here, and here.' And I'm not, I'm not lying when I say that, right? He's gotta be fully fit and rested before the World Cup. And then after the World Cup."

Lionel Messi is yet to confirm if he will be playing for Argentina at the 2026 World Cup.

Edited by Sripad