● As Aitana Bonmatí nicks women’s best player title
● England Lionesses, Manchester City dominate World XIs
● Sarina Wiegman, Pep Guardiola emerge best coaches
It is obvious that Argentine pocket dynamite, Lionel Messi cannot stop winning accolades in the round leather game for now.
On Monday, January 15, 2024, Messi was again on the podium being crowned, in absentia best men’s player of 2023 at FIFA’s The Best awards in an impressive ceremony held in London on Monday.
The Argentina’s captain and World Cup winner achieved the latest feat after beating Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe to top prize once again.
By outgunning his two fellow superstars in the selection process, Messi, who currently plying his trade with Inter Miami CF 2023 in the Major League Soccer, has now won the award more than any other player, being recognized in 2019, 2022 and now, 2023.
The big picture for Messi is that after winning his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023, that followed a 2022 FIFA World Cup, he has now been crowned the best player in the world by FIFA, too. The MLS star is the first player to ever win the award while playing in the league, and his third time winning the award.
On the night, Messi, alongside both Mbappe and Haaland, did not attend the ceremony. The Argentine stayed in Miami, training with the Herons for their first preseason game of the 2024 campaign on Friday against the El Salvador national team.
For Messi, the 2024 MLS campaign is now on the horizon, with the Herons officially returning to action on February 21 against Real Salt Lake to begin the season. Until then, it’s a plethora of friendlies, including a date against Cristiano Ronaldo and Al-Nassr on February 1, 2024.
In the women’s category, Spain World Cup star, Aitana Bonmatí, who carted home the Best FIFA player title for 2023 at the star-studded award ceremony in London, said she was “proud” to be part of a generation of women “changing the game and the world”.
The ceremony, styled as a celebration of the women’s game, had Bonmatí’s prize as the climactic moment of the night. The Spain and Barcelona forward, who said she was already nostalgic for 2023, was also the only person on stage to even hint at the Luis Rubiales scandal that tarnished the Women’s World Cup final.
“A couple of weeks ago, I was nostalgic for an exceptional and unique year, but starting out this year collecting this award I feel very proud,” Bonmatí said.
“I owe this to Barça, to the national team, I owe it to the great season that we’ve played. I’d like to thank my teammates, without all of you I wouldn’t be here. I’d also like to say I am proud to be part of a powerful generation of women who are changing the game and the world.”
On the night, a number of awards also served to showcase the current strength of English football in both the women’s and men’s game. While the awards for the best players went overseas, the best coaches in the women’s and men’s games were named as Sarina Weigman and Pep Guardiola.
In turn, England and Manchester City players dominated the World XIs chosen by current professionals, with seven Lionesses, including the Goalkeeper Mary Earps, in the women’s Fifpro team and seven City stars in the men’s side.
Wiegman, who was named best women’s coach for the second consecutive year after leading England to the World Cup final, said she was “very privileged and humbled that I’m here again I’d like to thanks everyone involved in the big performances with England and the FA for the big support”.
She further said; “Thanks to all the players who came off the back of the Euros and the Finalissima to the World Cup. Lots of things were thrown in front of us and we did really well.”
On his part, Pep Guardiola said winning the treble with City had been “a dream come true” and made special efforts to praise his players.
“I want to say thank you so, so much to our players, for what they have done for so many years without exception,” he said. “They don’t know how it means to wake up every morning and to live with them which has been an incredible pleasure.”
In other awards handed out on the night, Marta received a lifetime achievement award, with a new award for the best goal in women’s football to be named after the Brazilian legend.
The best men’s goal was Guilherme Madruga’s 25‑yard overhead kick for Botafogo, while the best supporter was a Colon de Santa Fe fan and father, Hugo Iniguez, who had been filmed bottle feeding his son in the stands.
Iniguez travelled to London to collect his award with his son, who also came up on stage, albeit briefly; swiftly bursting into tears, the boy was soon passed back to his mother. [With The Guardian/Forefront Ng reports]
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