Two months on from Argentina’s World Cup triumph in Qatar, Lionel Messi landed the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for a second time.
Lionel Messi thanked his Argentina team-mates for a “dream” year after winning the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for a second time.
The Paris Saint-Germain superstar presented club-mate Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema with the highest honors at a ceremony in Paris on Monday.
Messi played a major role in Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph, finishing as Ballon d’Or winner after scoring seven goals and assisting three.
He also impressed at club level in the first half of the 2022–23 season, which was factored into the voting, after scoring 11 goals and assisting a further 14 in 18 games.
That equaled a tally of 35 in both categories in 34 games in his first campaign at the Parc des Princes.
After receiving his best FIFA award, which he previously won in 2019, Messi said: “Wow, it’s amazing. It’s been an amazing year and it’s an honor to receive this award.
“Without my teammates, I wouldn’t be here. I’ve fulfilled a dream I’ve been hoping for for so long. Few people can do that and I was lucky.”
“It’s the most amazing thing that’s happened to me in my career.
Messi joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski as two-time winners of the trophy, with Luka Modric the only other winner since the award was first presented in 2016.
Lionel Scaloni, meanwhile, was crowned FIFA Men’s Coach of the Year and Emiliano Martinez ensured it was a clean sheet for Argentina when he collected the FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year award.
In the women’s awards, Sarina Wiegman won FIFA Women’s Coach of the Year for the third time and Alexia Putellas pipped Beth Mead to the FIFA Women’s Player of the Year award.
England and Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps has been named FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year.
