Champion and World Cup star, Messi is the best in the world again – 02/27/2023 – Sport

Captain of the winning team in Qatar and elected World Cup star, Lionel Messi crowned his perfect year with something that is routine: being elected best on the planet. The 35-year-old Argentine striker was chosen as FIFA’s top player of 2022.

The announcement was made at a ceremony held in Paris on Monday (27). Since 2016, the award, which has existed since 1991, is called The Best.

The Spanish Alexia Putellas repeated last year’s victory and returned to being the best in women’s football. She surpassed the English Beth Mead and the American Alex Morgan.

Putellas, 29, scored 34 goals for Barcelona last season in Europe. At 11, she was the top scorer in the Champions League.

Argentina became the bogeyman of the men’s event. It also had the best goalkeeper and coach. The country’s fans won as the highlight of the year for their presence in the stadiums of Qatar.

Messi won the election for the seventh time. No other player has won the trophy as many times. He had already done the same in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019. The closest is Cristiano Ronaldo, chosen in 2008, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2017.

The Argentine had more votes than the other two finalists, the French Kylian Mbappé, 24, and Karim Benzema, 35. The latter, with the certainty that he would not win, was not released by his team, Real Madrid, and did not attend. On Thursday (2), the team plays the biggest Spanish derby against Barcelona, ​​in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey.

“This year was crazy for me, I was able to achieve my dream after fighting so hard, searching so hard, insisting so much. In the end, it arrived and it is the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me in my career. It is a dream for any player and few can achieve,” Messi said in his speech.

It’s not hard to think that the final of the Qatar Cup, on December 18, defined who would be the best in the world. The two main highlights of the tournament faced each other at the Lusail stadium and Mbappé, despite having scored three goals, ended up defeated by France. Messi was champion and became a favorite for the FIFA award.

It is the victory that further enshrines one of the greatest players in history because it happens three months after obtaining the title he most dreamed of. With one of the most outstanding individual performances ever seen in the tournament, Messi scored seven times, was runner-up, voted best in the Cup and lifted the cup in what was the last match of his career in the competition.

Last Sunday (26), he scored his 700th goal for clubs in Paris Saint-Germain’s 3-0 victory over Olympique Marseille. He has 672 for Barcelona and 28 for PSG. Messi has scored 98 times for the Argentina national team.

It was a change of level for the Argentine number 10 with the national team. Until 2021, he was criticized for not winning anything for his country and for never repeating the same football that he showed in Barcelona, ​​where he played until 2021. 28 years of the team.

Brazil did not win in the election in which it had a chance. Contestant for the Puskas Award, for the most beautiful goal of the season, Richarlison was surpassed by the Polish Marcin Oleksy, who scored with a volley despite in a football match for amputee.

As a goalkeeper, his performances in the World Cup led Emiliano Martínez, from Argentina, to be elected the best player of the season. England’s Mary Earps, from Manchester United, won in the women’s category.

In choosing the coach, the favoritism of Argentine Lionel Scaloni, who had never coached any team and led his country to the title in Qatar, was confirmed. The same outcome happened in the female. The Dutch Sarina Wiegman, Eurocup champion with England, was chosen.

At the beginning of the ceremony, Pelé, who died at the end of last year, was honored by FIFA.

See all FIFA World Player of the Year award winners

2022 – Lionel Messi (ARG)
2021 – Robert Lewandowski (POL)
2020 – Robert Lewandowski (POL)
2019 – Lionel Messi (ARG)
2018 – Luka Modric (CRO)
2017 – Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)
2016 – Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)
2015 – Lionel Messi (ARG)
2014 – Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)
2013 – Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)
2012 – Lionel Messi (ARG)
2011 – Lionel Messi (ARG)
2010 – Lionel Messi (ARG)
2009 – Lionel Messi (ARG)
2008 – Cristiano Ronaldo (POR)
2007 – Kaka (BRA)
2006 – Fabio Cannavaro (ITA)
2005 – Ronaldinho Gaucho (BRA)
2004 – Ronaldinho Gaucho (BRA)
2003 – Zinedine Zidane (FRA)
2002 – Ronaldo (BRA)
2001 – Luis Figo (POR)
2000 – Zinedine Zidane (FRA)
1999 – Rivaldo (BRA)
1998 – Zinedine Zidane (FRA)
1997 – Ronaldo (BRA)
1996 – Ronaldo (BRA)
1995 – George Weah (LIB)
1994 – Romário (BRA)
1993 – Roberto Baggio (ITA)
1992 – Marco van Basten (NL)
1991 – Lothar Matthaus (ALE)