Lionel Messi did not attend FIFA’s The Best awards event in London on Monday, instead staying in America to train with Inter Miami, according to sources.
The Argentinian won FIFA’s Best Men’s Award after topping a three-man shortlist that included Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
However, Messi did not arrive when his name was called out to confirm his eight FIFA Best titles, and it was eventually confirmed that he had stayed at home in America. Neither Mbappe nor Haaland were present.
Messi left a career in European football last year after departing Paris Saint-Germain at the end of his contract and agreed to the MLS as the American league’s new star player.
Now it has been revealed that the 36-year-old made the decision not to travel because the distance involved in travelling to London would have result in nearly a week of pre-season training being missed.
The decision was revealed by Spanish journalist Guillem Balague who posted an online update that read: ‘Reason of Messi absence in London.
‘Messi has started training for Inter Miami and travelling to London would have meant 3/4 days lost.
He has to adjust to his new football calendar. He had some physical problems second half of the year and he wants to do a proper preseason…’.
The Argentinian only won the individual honour after initially tying with Man City’s Haaland on votes made by other national team captains and coaches.
