Lionel Messi, the World Cup champion, defeated Kylian Mbappe once more to claim FIFA’s best male player honour.
Messi won the best player vote over his PSG teammate and Karim Benzema to win the FIFA title for the second time after leading Argentina to World Cup victory in an incredible final against Mbappe’s France last year in Qatar.
The 35-year-old attacker scored twice in the World Cup final, when Argentina defeated France on penalties after a 3-3 stalemate in overtime.
At the World Cup, Messi was named player of the competition, becoming the first player to do so twice after winning the distinction in Brazil in 2014. He has seven goals and three assists in Qatar, including a double against France in the championship game. Also, he surpassed German legend Lothar Matthaus in terms of most World Cup appearances.
With PSG, Messi won Ligue 1 in his first season, and he has continued to excel in the domestic league.
It’s been a great year, and I’m honoured to be here and get this award, he remarked. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my teammates.
“I fulfilled the long-held dream I had hoped for. Very few people are able to do that, and I was fortunate enough to do it.
Moreover, Argentina’s Lionel Scaloni won the Best FIFA Men’s Coach title, defeating Pep Guardiola of Manchester City and Carlo Ancelotti of Real Madrid thanks to Emiliano Martinez’s World Cup heroics.
Together with players like Messi, Mbappe, and Benzema, Premier League stars Virgil van Dijk, Kevin De Bruyne, Casemiro, and Erling Haaland were included in the men’s world XI.
via Sky Sport
