It has been quite an eventful week for Lionel Messi. The player recently caught the headlines after he got suspended by PSG for his unannounced trip. However, the 35-year-old has once again grabbed eyeballs as he won the Laureus Sportsman of the Year award. The Argentinian skipper collected the award last night in Paris.

This is the second time he has won the award, after earlier winning it in 2020. The player has joined the list of prominent athletes who have won the award. The list includes the likes of Tiger Woods, Novak Djokovic, Roger Federer, and Michael Schumacher. It is indeed a historic win for the soccer player.

However, a debate has recently been ignited among netizens between Roger Federer and Lionel Messi.

Soccer world backs Lionel Messi after Roger Federer claims

It is an emphatic win for Messi who has added yet another award in his trophy cabinet. The player may have won the most individual awards in soccer, including Ballon d’Or and Golden Boot. However, the king of Laureus Awards is Tennis star Roger Federer, who has six to his name.

Hence, this was recently pointed out by a social media influencer who is also a Real Madrid fan. The famous socialite made a controversial tweet, “Roger Federer has won the Laureus Awards Six times but Messi Fans are making Noise because he won just two? Funny Fanbase.” This wasn’t taken well by a few netizens, including the Messi fan base, as they ignited a debate regarding the claim.

Some fans didn’t take this individual’s tweet well, as they even dragged Cristiano Ronaldo into the debate.

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The tweets show how much the soccer world is backing Messi, despite the fact he hasn’t won the award many times. Either way, it isn’t more than a healthy discussion as both sides have their own point. Even if Federer has won the award more times than Messi, this doesn’t rule out the fact that the Argentine created a record-breaking feat.

A touching message for the World Cup winner

Argentina winning the World Cup has brought nothing but fame and glory to Messi. The skipper has been on a surge of personal accolades. He even got named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people for 2023. This instigated Federer to hail the legendary soccer player for his series of achievements.

“Lionel Messi’s goal-scoring records and championship wins need no recounting here. What stands out to me about Messi, 35, is his consistent greatness over so many years. This is so difficult to achieve and then maintain. He dribbles like a magician, and his angular passes are works of art. His awareness and anticipation are almost beyond comprehension,” he wrote.

Federer appreciated his efforts to represent both his renowned club and country. He also hailed Argentina’s World Cup run and, later, insisted Messi continue to play for many more years.

Later, he heaped praise for Argentina’s legendary players, Diego Maradona, and Gabriel Batistuta. “I can only hope we get to see his unique creativity and artistry for a little bit longer. Don’t blink too often as Messi performs on the pitch. You may miss something incredible from the man of the moment.”

Indeed, it is a heartfelt message that Federer wrote to Messi. This shows both athletes have massive respect for each other. Either way, what are your thoughts on the Federer-Messi debate? Let us know in the comments.

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