Lionel Messi Wins The Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year Title for 2023

The Best FIFA Awards for 2023 have honored Inter Miami star Lionel Messi with the coveted title of The Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year. The 36-year-old icon faced stiff competition from Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, who secured second and third positions, respectively.

The competition saw Messi and Haaland tied on votes, but the Argentine maestro clinched the victory by edging out his Norwegian counterpart in captain’s votes. In an unexpected turn of events, Messi was unable to personally claim the award in London, leading to a lighthearted moment where Thierry Henry playfully accepted it on his behalf.

The Best FIFA Awards mark a yearly celebration of football excellence, encompassing a democratic process orchestrated by FIFA to acknowledge the world’s top football players, coaches, goalkeepers, fans, goals, and acts of fair play. Notably, these awards cover a calendar year, distinguishing them from the Ballon d’Or, which assesses performances throughout a season.

For the 2023 edition, the judging period for the men’s awards, including the Puskas award, spanned from December 19th, 2022, to August 20th, 2023. This adjustment accommodated the inclusion of the Qatar World Cup in the 2022 ceremony. During this timeframe, Messi showcased his brilliance by netting nine goals for Paris Saint-Germain F.C., securing the Ligue 1 title, and contributing 10 goals in seven games for Inter Miami, aiding them in clinching the inaugural Leagues Cup in the United States.

Messi’s transition to Inter Miami from PSG proved to be a resounding success, with the football maestro scoring 11 goals and providing five assists in just 14 appearances for the Major League Soccer (MLS) club. Notably, he had already collected an illustrious eighth Ballon d’Or award in October, solidifying his status as one of the greatest footballers of all time.

In the women’s category, Aitana Bonmati of Barcelona emerged triumphant, adding another layer of celebration to the prestigious awards ceremony.

The complete list of The Best FIFA Awards for 2023 includes notable winners such as Pep Guardiola for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach, Sarina Wiegman for The Best FIFA Women’s Coach, Mary Earps as The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper, and Ederson as The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper. Additional recognitions include the FIFA Fair Play Award for the Brazil senior men’s team, the FIFA Puskas Award for Guilherme Madruga, the FIFA Fan Award for a Club Atletico Colon fan, and the FIFA Special Award presented to Marta.

The FIFA Men’s World XI for 2023 features an exceptional lineup, including Thibaut Courtois, Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Jude Bellingham, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Vinicius Junior. This star-studded ensemble represents the pinnacle of football excellence on the global stage.