Lionel Messi Clinches The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award for 2023

Share

Lionel Messi secures his third The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, having previously claimed the honor in 2019 and 2022.

The Argentine legend, also an eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, earned recognition for leading Argentina to victory in the 2022 World Cup.

Messi faced competition from Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. During the award’s qualifying period (December 19, 2022, to August 20, 2023), Messi left European football, winning his second Ligue 1 title with PSG before joining Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami.

The 36-year-old guided David Beckham’s club to their inaugural domestic silverware, triumphing in the Leagues Cup with ten goals in seven games.

The former Barcelona standout had another successful year in international football, achieving a milestone by scoring his 100th goal for Argentina in a 7-0 victory over Curacao last March.

Messi joins an elite group, becoming the third men’s footballer to reach a century of goals, alongside Iran’s Ali Daeli and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo.

This marks Messi’s second consecutive Best FIFA Men’s Player award, following his 2022 victory. Notable players like Robert Lewandowski, who won in 2020 and 2021, and Ronaldo, now with Al Nassr, who claimed it in 2016 and 2017, have also achieved back-to-back triumphs.

Luka Modric stands as the only other men’s category winner, securing the accolade in 2018 after an exceptional year both domestically and internationally.

Click to read and post comments