Lionel Messi emerged victorious at the FIFA Best Awards, claiming the Men’s Player of the Year accolade in a prestigious ceremony held at the Hammersmith Apollo in London.
The Inter Miami forward narrowly edged out Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, with Paris St-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe securing the third spot.
Messi, 36, marked his third win in this award category since its inception in 2016, having previously triumphed in 2019 and 2022. His achievements in 2023 included contributing nine goals for PSG’s French Ligue 1 victory and another ten goals in seven games for Inter Miami, clinching the inaugural Leagues Cup in the United States.
Manchester City’s Ederson clinched the Goalkeeper of the Year award, surpassing Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois and Al Hilal’s Yassine Bounou. The recognition came after City’s triumphant 2022-23 season, securing the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup.
The Men’s Coach of the Year title was claimed by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, who led his team to the Treble in the aforementioned campaigns. Guardiola bested competition from Luciano Spalletti and Simone Inzaghi.
Six Manchester City players dominated the Men’s Team of the Year, featuring defenders John Stones, Kyle Walker, and Ruben Dias, midfielders Bernardo Silva and Kevin de Bruyne, and striker Erling Haaland. Real Madrid and England midfielder Jude Bellingham was also honored, being the sole English player outside City in the lineup.
The Puskas Award, recognizing the best goal, went to Brazilian Guilherme Madruga from Botafogo for his remarkable 25-yard overhead kick. Brighton’s Julio Enciso, nominated for his spectacular long-range strike against Manchester City, narrowly missed out on the accolade.
This year’s FIFA Best Awards deviated from the traditional calendar year format, considering performances from December 19, 2022, to August 20, 2023, due to the inclusion of the Qatar World Cup in the previous year’s ceremony.
Reported By BBC Sports
