Messi won FIFA Best prize for 2022 over Mbappe
Lionel Messi received The Best FIFA men’s participant prize for 2022 on Monday on the lower back of his World Cup triumph with Argentina and Spain’s Alexia Putellas retained the women’s award at a ceremony in Paris.
Messi beat his Paris Saint-Germain teammate, and World Cup closing rival, Kylian Mbappe to the men’s gong with Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema having been the different contender to declare the prize.
It is the 2nd time that Messi has received the honour inaugurated through FIFA in 2016 after football’s world governing physique break up from Ballon d’Or organisers France Football.
The award, which is voted for via country wide group coaches and captains, journalists and additionally fans, recognises a year in which the former Barcelona famous person topped his wonderful profession by using main Argentina to victory at the World Cup.
Messi scored twice in an epic remaining in Doha as Argentina beat France on penalties in spite of Mbappe netting a hat-trick for Les Bleus in a top notch 3-3 draw.
He additionally claimed the Golden Ball for the fine participant at the tournament, though Mbappe used to be the pinnacle scorer with eight goals, one extra than Messi.
“This year was just mad for me, to be able to achieve my dream that I had fought so hard for. In the end I got it and it was the most beautiful thing that has happened in my career,” Messi said of his World Cup win as he collected his award.
“It is a dream for every footballer but something that very few can make come true,” added Messi, who was sat in the Paris theatre in between Mbappe and his wife Antonella Roccuzzo.
He took the prize just 24 hours after combining with Mbappe to lead PSG to a 3-0 win against Marseille in Ligue 1.
Putellas pips Mead and Morgan
The 35-year-old, a seven-time Ballon d’Or winner, succeeds Polish star Robert Lewandowski on the FIFA honours list, while Putellas retained the women’s prize despite spending the second half of last year out injured.
The 29-year-old beat England’s European Championship-winning striker Beth Mead and United States star Alex Morgan to add the FIFA crown to the Ballon d’Or, which she has also won two years running.
Putellas is currently recovering from a serious knee injury suffered last July which ruled her out of the Euro in England with Spain.
Prior to that she had scored 11 goals on Barcelona’s run to the Champions League final, which they lost to Lyon.
Putellas has previously said she hopes to return from injury in time to play again this season, but it remains to be seen whether she will feature for Spain at the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand in July and August.
Argentina’s World Cup win in Qatar was also recognised as Lionel Scaloni claimed the men’s coach’s honour and Emiliano Martinez was named the best male goalkeeper.
Meanwhile, England’s European Championship victory helped their Dutch manager Sarina Wiegman win the prize for best women’s coach, while Mary Earps was named the women’s goalkeeper of the year.
Polish amputee player Marcin Oleksy took the Puskas Award for best goal, named after Hungary great Ferenc Puskas.
Messi won FIFA Best prize for 2022 over Mbappe
