Does Messi deserve a place ahead of Vinicius Jr in the Team of the Year for 2023?
Jamie Carragher branded La Liga as a “joke league” after omitting Vinicius Junior from his Team of the Year for EA Sports.
In a debate with Gary Neville on Sky Sports, Carragher said Lionel Messi deserves a place in FC 24 Team of the Year for his performances at Inter Miami.
“I would pick him for what he did in the MLS,” Carragher said of Messi, who made a total of 14 appearances for Inter Miami, winning the Leagues Cup.
Neville argued that Messi played only six matches in MLS, while Vinicius Jr’s stats for Real Madrid are more impressive. The Brazil international registered 18 goals and 17 assists in 44 appearances for the Blancos in 2023.
Carragher reacted by saying that Vinicus Jr scored his goals in a “joke league” while reminding Neville that Real Madrid “didn’t even win La Liga”.
Messi claimed his eighth Ballon d’Or last year, mainly due to his successful World Cup campaign with Argentina. The former Barcelona star left Paris Saint-Germain to complete a mid-season move to MLS but his arrival wasn’t enough to inspire the David Beckham-owned club to secure a place in the playoffs.
Inter Miami will return to action with a friendly match against FC Dallas on January 22.
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