Messi wins best FIFA men’s player award ahead of Mbappe, Benzema

Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema were defeated by Lionel Messi to win the 2022 FIFA Men’s Player of the Year honor.

On Monday night in Paris, the award ceremony’s seventh iteration was place.

Messi accepted the medal for a second time after inspiring Argentina to a thrilling victory at the Qatar 2022 FIFA Men’s World Cup.

In Qatar, the 35-year-old scored seven goals for the Albiceleste. In 49 games for club and country in 2021–22, he also scored 27 goals.

Since its renaming in 2016, Ad Messi has triumphed in the award twice. Also, he follows in the footsteps of previous winners Cristiano Ronaldo (2016, 2017) and Robert Lewandowski (2020, 2021).

It’s incredible. I feel honored to be here tonight and receive this honor, stated Messi.

“I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my teammates. It was a fantastic year, and I finally succeeded in realizing the dream I’d been working toward for so long.

It’s the most wonderful thing that’s happened to me in my career.”

Alexia Putellas of Spain also defeated Alex Morgan and Beth Mead of the USA and England respectively for the women’s award. It is Putellas’ second women’s player award.

Lionel Scaloni beat Carlo Ancelotti and Pep Guardiola to win the men’s coach award.

Scaloni guided Argentina to their third FIFA World Cup title in Doha, Qatar in December.

Below is the full list of winners:

Best men’s player: Lionel Messi

Best women’s player: Alexis Putellas.

Best Men’s Coach: Lionel Scaloni

Best women’s coach: Sarina Weigman

Best Women’s goalkeeper: Mary Earps

Best Men’s goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez

Puskas: Marcin Oleksy

FIFA Fair Play award: Luka Lochoshvili

Best Fans: Argentina

FIFA FIFPRO 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

FIFA FIPRO Women’s World XI: Christiane Endler; Lucy Bronze, Maria Leon, Leah Williamson, Wendy Renard; Alexia Putellas, Keira Walsh, Lena Oberdorff; Alex Morgan, Sam Kerr, Beth Mead