The Uruguayan newspaper El País announced the three finalists for the 2025 Rei América award, which recognizes the continent’s best player playing in the Américas. Giorgian of Arrascaeta, midfielder of Flamengo, competes with Lionel Messi, of Inter Miami, and Adrián Martínez, striker of The winner will be revealed on December 31st, at Montevidéu.
Arrascaeta had a standout season for the Rio club, directly participating in 45 goals in 64 official games. The Uruguayan was a key player in Flamengo’s achievements throughout the year.
- Championship Carioca
- Brasil Super Cup
- Championship Brasileiro
- Cup Libertadores
Flamengo still played in the final of Copa Intercontinental, but was defeated on penalties by Paris Saint-Germain.
⚠️ The finalists for the 2025 Rei América award:
— Planeta from Futebol 🌎 (@futebol_info)December 23, 2025
• Arrascaeta (Flamengo)
• Messi (Inter Miami)
• Adrián Martínez (Racing)
The winner will be announced on December 31st.
📸 Gilvan of Souza/CRF | Inter Miamipic.twitter.com/x3Vd7LHcEL
Performance of Arrascaeta in the year
Arrascaeta scored 25 goals and distributed 20 assists in 64 matches for Flamengo. Esses numbers represent his best season in terms of direct goal contributions. The midfielder was elected star of the Campeonato Brasileiro and Copa Libertadores, awards that reinforce his candidacy for the continental trophy.
The Uruguayan had already come close to the prize in previous years. Ele finished in second place in 2022 and third in 2019.
Impressive numbers of Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi had a dominant year for Inter Miami, in the Estados Unidos. The Argentine played 49 games, scored 43 goals and provided 26 assists. Sua team won the Major League Soccer title for the first time in the club’s history.
Messi was voted the best player in MLS and led the team to unprecedented achievements. Seus offensive numbers place him as the main competitor, even playing in a North American league. The award considers players active on the continent, which includes MLS since its creation in 1986.
Adrián Martínez’s Highlight Season
Adrián Martínez, known as “Maravilla”, was Racing’s top scorer in the season. The Argentine striker played 45 games, scored 22 goals and contributed three assists. The club won the Recopa Sul-Americana and advanced to the semifinals of the Copa Libertadores.
Racing also reached the final of Torneio Clausura in Campeonato Argentino, eliminating rivals like River Plate and Boca Juniors. Martínez stood out as an offensive reference in solid campaigns for the team led by Gustavo Costas.
Origin and tradition of the award
The Rei award from América has existed since 1986 and is organized by the newspaper El País, from Uruguai. The vote involves around 250 specialized journalists from Américas countries. Apenas players playing on the continent are eligible, which differentiates the trophy from global awards.
The last winner was the Brazilian Luiz Henrique, from Botafogo, in 2024, after victories in Brasileirão and Libertadores. The award gained relevance by highlighting South American and North American talents in local competitions.
Flamengo also represented in the coaches category
Filipe Luís, coach of Flamengo, appears among the finalists for the award for best coach of Américas. Ele competes with Gustavo Costas, from Racing, and Gustavo Alfaro, commander of the Paraguai team. Luís led Flamengo in 73 games during the year, with 48 wins, 16 draws and nine defeats.
The former left-back won the same titles as Arrascaeta for the club. Sua campaign included the fourth Libertadores championship and the Brazilian title. Costas took Racing to Recopa and long campaigns in other competitions, while Alfaro ranked Paraguai to Copa from
Comparison between finalists
The three finalists have different profiles in different leagues.
- Arrascaeta combines volume of games with continental and national titles in Brasil.
- Messi dominates individual statistics in MLS with first league title for Inter Miami.
- Martínez shines as a top scorer in a competitive Racing in the Argentina.
The vote reflects not only numbers, but also the impact on collective achievements. The announcement later in the year will crown the continent’s most influential player in 2025.
List of achievements of finalists in 2025
Each candidate accumulated relevant trophies in their respective competitions.
- Arrascaeta (Flamengo): Campeão Carioca, Supercopa of Brasil, Brasileirão and Libertadores; vice at Intercontinental.
- Messi (Inter Miami): Campeão from MLS; best player in the league.
- Martínez (Racing): Campeão from Recopa Sul-Americana; Libertadores semi-finalist; finalist of the Argentine Clausura.
These campaigns place the three at a high level in the dispute.
The Rei award from América maintains its tradition of valuing consistent performances throughout the season. The 2025 edition highlights the diversity of leagues on the continent, with representatives from Brasil, Estados Unidos and Argentina. Jornalistas will vote considering criteria such as goals, assists, titles and influence in decisive games.
Expectations grow until December 31st, when the Uruguayan newspaper will announce the winners in the player and coach categories.
