Messi Honored with Special Award by Miami Mayor

MIAMI, Florida – Football icon Lionel Messi was presented with a special award by Miami Mayor Francis Suarez at the Kaseya Center on Wednesday, officially recognizing his profound contributions to the city, the nation, and the world of football.

The special distinction, symbolic of the city’s gratitude, was formalized as Mayor Suarez presented the key to the city to the Argentine superstar.

“I have had the wish to give this [key] to you for all that you’ve done for our grand city, our country, and the world of football. Thank you,” said Mayor Francis Suarez.

The Messi Effect: On and Off the Field

Since joining Inter Miami in July 2023, Messi’s arrival has ushered in an era of unprecedented success and growth for the club and American soccer:

🏆 Immediate Trophies: He led Inter Miami to their first-ever title, the Leagues Cup, in 2023.
🥇 MLS Dominance: Followed that up by securing the 2024 Supporters’ Shield and setting a record for the most points in a single MLS campaign.
🌟 Individual Accolades: Messi secured the 2024 MLS MVP and the 2025 Golden Boot, and is currently a finalist for the 2025 MLS MVP award, demonstrating his sustained elite performance.
Extended Commitment: His commitment to the city was cemented recently by signing a three-year contract extension, keeping him at Inter Miami until the 2028 MLS season.

Inter Miami co-owner Jorge Mas also offered a tribute, calling the award “a small gift from this city, which has captured the hearts of all of us.”

In his acceptance speech, a grateful Messi acknowledged the warm reception from the city:

“Thank you. I feel very honoured by this. It’s true that, as I just said, we feel very loved, very grateful, very happy to be living in this city, and to receive this distinction is a great honour for me, so thank you.”

Club Focus Shifts to Playoff Decider

The ceremony coincided with major news regarding the club’s future infrastructure, as Inter Miami announced a key milestone in their stadium development near Miami International Airport: the installation of the final beams for the stadium canopy.

Meanwhile, the focus for the team immediately returns to the field. Inter Miami is now preparing for the decisive Game 3 of the best-of-three Round 1 playoff series against Nashville SC on Saturday in Florida.

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Khalid Javed

Khalid Javed is known as Khalid Minhas is editor of Daily Olympic.He is a seasoned journalist and worked with different national and international media outlets.