Messi posted a series of photos to his Instagram account on Monday morning to celebrate the occasion.
‘One year of the most beautiful craziness of my career… Unforgettable memories that will last a lifetime,’ Messi wrote on Instagram. ‘Happy Anniversary to all!!!’
Messi’s wife, Antonella Roccuzzo, also filled Instagram with a post ending with: ‘Happy 18/12 Argentinians!’
So much has changed for Messi since leading Argentina to a World Cup victory over France in Qatar on Dec. 18, 2022.
He also left Paris Saint-Germain for Inter Miami in Major League Soccer, where he helped the club win its first championship in the Leagues Cup in August.
Embedded content: https://www.instagram.com/p/C0_x5CmNNpS/?hl=en
What’s next for Lionel Messi?
Messi and rival Cristiano Ronaldo will square off once more during their illustrious careers during an international match in Saudi Arabia early next year.
Messi’s Inter Miami has a worldwide preseason tour to start 2024 with matches to be played in El Salvador, China, Saudi Arabia and Japan. Here’s the schedule:
∎ The El Salvador national team at the Estadio Cuscatlán in San Salvador on Jan. 19.
∎ Al-Hilal on Jan. 29 and Al-Nassr (Ronaldo’s Saudi-based team) on Feb. 1 in the Riyadh Season Cup in Saudi Arabia.
∎ A match in Hong Kong, where Inter Miami will face a collection of the best players from the Hong Kong First Division League on Feb. 4.
∎ A match against Vissel Kobe at the Japan National Stadium on Feb. 7.
Apple TV+ announces new Messi documentary
Messi’s run at the 2022 World Cup with Argentina will be showcased in a four-part series by Apple TV+, which was announced Friday.
‘Messi’s World Cup: The Rise of a Legend’ will be a four-part documentary where ‘Messi tells the definitive story of his incredible career with the Argentina national football team, providing an intimate and unprecedented look at his quest for a legacy-defining World Cup victory,’ Apple TV+ said in a press release.
The series is set to premiere globally Feb. 21, 2024.
Relive Messi’s World Cup title with Argentina
Messi was spectacular, scoring two goals and his penalty kick, to help Argentina overcome a hat trick from superstar Kylian Mbappé and France 3-3 (4-2 penalty kicks) in the 2022 World Cup final last December.
Messi was awarded the Golden Ball, given to the best player in the tournament, in what is considered the greatest World Cup final of all-time.
Messi’s World Cup jerseys sell for $7.8 million
As Inter Miami hopes its international tour will further sales of Messi’s pink No. 10 jersey worldwide, Messi’s jerseys from his thrilling win at the Qatar World Cup last year cost a pretty penny this week.
Six of Messi’s jerseys from the 2022 World Cup were sold at auction for $7.8 million at Sotheby, the auction house announced this week.
Messi is TIME’s 2023 Athlete of the Year
Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and 2022 World Cup champion, added another honorable distinction to his résumé earlier this month.
TIME named Messi the 2023 Athlete of the Year, adding he is an ‘accelerant’ to soccer’s growth in the United States, especially because Copa America in 2024, the Club World Cup in 2025, and the World Cup in 2026 will be played in the U.S.
Will Messi play for Argentina again in the World Cup?
It’s unclear whether Messi, 36, will play for Argentina in the 2024 Copa America and the 2026 World Cup or will retire from national team competition before then.
‘Even I don’t know when. It’ll happen when it happens,’ Messi said when asked about retiring during an interview broadcast on Argentine television in July. ‘After winning everything I want to enjoy the moment and wait for time to tell me when it’s the moment.
‘Logically, given my age, one would expect it to be soon, but I don’t know for sure.’
While Messi’s World Cup final was expected to be his last World Cup game, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said in January ‘the door will always be open’ for Messi.
