Lionel Messi has been crowned The Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year.
The 36-year-old Argentine picked up the individual honour ahead of Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe during the award ceremony held in London on Monday night.
The latest accolade is the third FIFA Best Award for the diminutive Argentine, following similar triumphs in 2019 and 2022. He is also the first player to reach the milestone.
Messi was, however, conspicuously absent at the awards ceremony. He is on a pre-season tour with his club, Inter Miami.
Messi won the 2022 World Cup with Argentina. While he could not helped Inter Miami to their first trophy in the club’s history.
In other awards of the night, Pep Guardiola won the men’s coach of the year award after securing a treble with Manchester City.
Six Man City players were also named in the Best XI.
- The Best FIFA Men’s Player: Lionel Messi
- The Best FIFA Women’s Player: Aitana Bonmati
- The Best FIFA Men’s Coach: Pep Guardiola
- The Best FIFA Women’s Coach: Sarina Wiegman
- The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper: Ederson
- The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper: Mary Earps
- FIFA Fair Play Award: Brazil men’s national team
- FIFA Puskas Award: Guilherme Madruga
- FIFA Fan Award: Hugo Daniel “Toto” Iniguez
- FIFA Special Award: Marta
- FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11: Thibaut Courtois, Kyle Walker, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Jude Bellingham, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva, Vinicius Junior, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland
- FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11: Mary Earps, Lucy Bronze, Olga Carmona, Alex Greenwood, Aitana Bonmati, Ella Toone, Keira Walsh, Lauren James, Sam Kerr, Alex Morgan & Alessia Russo
