Messi, the "planetary" of football tops the 2023 FIFA awards

Manos Staramopoulos • 15 de enero de 2024

Leo Messi has added another gem to his endless collection of football trophies and individual awards

Leo Messi won his third FIFA The Best Awards

One of the top footballers the planet Earth has known, the great Argentine Lionel Messi has added another gem to his endless collection of football trophies and individual awards. So after the "Golden Ball" won in October by France Football (which is represented and voted from Greece by the editor-in-chief of Discoveryfootball, Manos Staramopoulos), now he did the... double for 2023. As he also won the title of world's top footballer for 2023 at the spectacular FIFA The Best awards celebration held in London.

The Argentine superstar left Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe behind in the relevant voting, who took 2nd and 3rd place respectively. Of course, together with Erling Haaland he tied on 48 points (Bape had 35), but Messi collected more votes from the team captains and took the award in... thread. Anyway, at the moment when Thierry Henry announced that Haaland's father Messi is the first, Alf made a face, with meaning...

Meanwhile, since FIFA created separate awards for the best players each season, separating them from the Ballon d'Or, only 4 footballers have won the title of the best in the world football confederation's awards.

With Messi now reaching 3 conquests, after 2019 and 2022, rising to the top position in this category as well. The other three are Cristiano Ronaldo (2016, 2017), Luka Modric (2018) and Robert Lewandowski (2020, 2021).

But here we must note that all three candidates for the best football player in the world for 2023 were absent from the London gala.

Messi stayed in Miami, where he continues training with Inter Miami, ahead of their first pre-season game against the El Salvador national team next Friday (19/1).

The award that will be sent to Messi was received by the former great ace of Arsenal, Barcelona and France, Thierry Henry.

Bonmati

Following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi, Aitana Bonmati made history on Monday night (15/1), as after the Women's Ballon d'Or, she also won the award for the best female soccer player in the world for 2023, at the Awards FIFA The Best.

The Spaniard celebrated both winning the treble with Barcelona and the World Cup with the Spanish National Team and succeeded her teammate in Barcelona, Alexia Poutellas, who had won the title in 2022, at the top of the world. Bonmati collected 52 points leaving in Linda Caicedo in 2nd place with 40 points and Jennifer Hermoso in 3rd place with 36.

“When 2023 came to an end, I was a bit nostalgic because it is a great year and I will remember it for the rest of my life. I owe this to the teams I played for, Barcelona and my national team.

Manchester City's historic treble in 2022/23 (Champions League, Premier League, FA Cup), awarded the title of top manager for 2023 to the "architect" of the "citizens" Pep Guardiola, who dominated the FIFA The Best awards .

The Catalan coach, who beat Simone Inzaghi and Luciano Spalletti in the world football confederation's vote, dedicated this very important individual award to his team and his immediate partners at City.

"I want to share this award with the owners of Manchester City, with Ferran Soriano and with Txiki Begiristain, who believed in me from the beginning".

Ederson emerged as the top goalkeeper, leaving Thibaut Courtois and Yassin Bono in 2nd and 3rd place. The Brazilian goalkeeper, although he did not "overtake" Courtois in the battle for the top eleven, in the top goalkeeper award he had 23 points, against Courtois' 20 and Bono's 16.

"I would like to thank God for everything I have achieved. To thank my family for the joy they have brought me, my teammates and especially the group of goalkeepers I work with every day at Manchester City. It's an honor to work with them," said Ederson.

Among the women, the top goalkeeper was the British Mary Earps, who collected 28 points, against 14 of the Spanish Catalina Cole and 12 of the Australian Mackenzie Arnold.

"I thank my teammates from the bottom of my heart. It is an honor to compete alongside you. The same goes for my coaches at England and Manchester United. Never give up, chase your dreams" was Herps' message.

The prize of the top trainer in Wiegman

For the 4th time in her career, Sarina Wiegman dominated the FIFA The Best awards, winning the title of the best coach for 2023. The coach of the England national team, led the "three lions" to the final of the Women's World Cup, but also to the "Arnold" titles Clark" and the Women's Finalissima.

Viegman collected 28 points, while Emma Hayes (18 points) and Yonatan Giraldes (14 points) were in 2nd place. "It's a huge honor to be here. Thank you to everyone involved with the England National Team and a big thank you to the English FA. Congratulations to Hayes and Giraldes for everything they accomplished last season. It is an honor to be your opponent," Vigman stressed.

Six City players in the starting line-up

Absolute dominance of Manchester City and the top eleven of the FIFA The Best awards for 2023 which is underway at a glittering ceremony in London, as it counted not one and two, but a total of 6 of its players in the best "mixed" team of the year gone.

Along with Pep Guardiola's 6 stars (Stones, Walker, Diaz, Bernardo Silva, De Bruyne, Haaland), Courtois, Bellingham, Bape, Messi and Vinicius were also voted.