Messi named FIFA best men’s player

World Cup winner Lionel Messi edged Kylian Mbappe again, this time to take FIFA’s best men’s player award for 2022 at an event held in Paris on Monday.

After steering Argentina to World Cup glory in an epic final against Mbappe’s France last year in Qatar, Messi won the best player vote against his PSG team-mate and Karim Benzema to secure the FIFA prize for a second time.

The 35-year-old forward scored two goals in the World Cup final, which Argentina won on penalties against France following a 3-3 draw after extra-time.

Messi was named player of the tournament at the World Cup, the first player to receive the award twice after winning the accolade at Brazil in 2014. He scored seven goals in Qatar, including a double in the final against France, and provided three assists. He also overtook German legend Lothar Matthaus as the World Cup’s record appearance holder.

At club level, Messi won Ligue 1 in his debut season with PSG and continues to work his magic in the domestic game.

He said, “It’s been a tremendous year and it’s an honour for me to be here and win this award. Without my team-mates I wouldn’t be here.

“I achieved the dream I had been hoping for for so long. Very few people can achieve that and I have been lucky to do so.”

Emiliano Martinez’s World Cup heroics for Argentina saw him named the best men’s goalkeeper, while Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni beat Man City’s Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti to the Best FIFA Men’s Coach award.

Premier League stars Virgil van Dijk, Kevin De Bruyne, Casemiro and Erling Haaland were named in the men’s world XI alonsgide the likes of Messi, Mbappe and Benzema.

Men’s World XI

Thibaut Courtois, Achraf Hakimi, Joao Cancelo, Virgil van Dijk, Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modric, Casemiro, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, Erling Haaland. The 2022 FIFA FIFPRO

England duo Sarina Wiegman and Mary Earps were winners at the 2022 Best FIFA Awards, claiming the women’s coach and women’s goalkeeper prizes at Monday’s ceremony in Paris.

England’s march to the Euro 2022 title was celebrated with Wiegman named best women’s coach ahead of Lyon’s Sonia Bompastor and Pia Sundhage of Brazil, while Earps, who started every game at the tournament pipped fellow nominees Ann-Katrin Berger of Germany and Chile’s Christiane Endler to the women’s goalkeeper award.

 

Women’s World XI

Christiane Endler, Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Wendie Renard, Mapi Leon, Kiera Walsh, Alexia Putellas, Lena Oberdorf, Alex Morgan, Sam Kerr, Beth Mead