Messi is not the best. The winner in the "Sportsman of the Year" category has been announced

The captain of the Argentina national team, Lionel Messi, and the best tennis player in the world, Novak Djokovic, shared second place in the category “athlete of the year” according to the famous publication Associated Press.

Both athletes received an equal number of votes - 16.

The winner of the vote was Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani, who received 20 votes. It’s interesting that Ohtani, according to AP, has been recognized as the best athlete of the year for the third time.

Denver Nuggets basketball player Nikola Jokic took fourth place in the voting with 12 votes.

As you know, Messi was recently recognized as athlete of the year in Argentina, and he also received the Ballon d'Or in 2023 (for his services in 2022).

Let us remind you that in 2023 Messi won the French Championship and the National Super Cup, as well as a victory with Inter Miami in the League Cup.