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Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Argentina superstar Lionel Messi has been chosen as the Male Athlete of the Year by the International Sports Press Association America (AIPS America). Venezuelan runner Yulimar Rojas has been selected as the best Female Athlete of 2022.
Messi has enjoyed a stellar run in the 2022-23 season. Earlier this month, Messi led from the front as Argentina beat France in the FIFA World Cup final on penalties, ending their 36-year-long drought. Messi, who scored seven times and claimed three assists in the tournament, was chosen as the Player of the Tournament and won the FIFA Golden Ball.
The 35-year-old has been firing on all cylinders for PSG as well. This season, Messi has scored 12 goals and provided 14 assists in 19 games across competitions for the Parisians.
This is the third time Messi has won the AIPS America Male Athlete of the Year award, doing so ahead of Colombian skater Brayan Carreno and Brazilian footballer Richarlison.
The best Female Athlete of 2022, Rojas, meanwhile, beat Brazilian skater Rayssa Leal, Cuban canoeing expert Yarisleidi Cirilo and Colombian weightlifter Jenny Alvarez to the award.
Rojas became the first athlete to win three triple-jump world championship titles and the gold at the 2022 Oregon Athletics World Championships. She set the record with a high jump of 15.47 meters. Rojas won the Diamond League title to close the year in style.
AIPS also named Argentina the National Team of the Year and U20 World Athletics Championships in Cali as the Best Press Center.
Lionel Messi to miss PSG’s Ligue 1 game against Strasbourg
Newly crowned FIFA World Cup winner Lionel Messi is enjoying some well-deserved downtime. Messi, who is still in Argentina, will not feature when PSG return to Ligue 1 action against Strasbourg on December 28.
According to TyC Sport, he's expected to return to training after the new year (3 January) and could be available for the Ligue 1 tussle with Angers on January 11.
Messi, who is set to welcome the new year with his family, might miss two Ligue 1 games (Strasbourg and Lens) and the cup clash against Chateauroux on January 6.
