Argentina superstar Lionel Messi won the Best FIFA Men’s Player Award for the 3rd time in the last 4 years, edging past Norwegian striker Erling Haaland in a closely-contested race. Spain and Barcelona striker Aitana Bonmati walked away with the Best FIFA Women’s Player Award at The Best FIFA Awards, a star-studded ceremony in London.

Manchester City’s treble-winning coach Pep Guardiola won the Best Men’s Manager of 2023 award while England coach Sarina Wiegman claimed the women’s best coach award for a record-extending fourth time. Guardiola beat Inter Milan’s Simone Inzaghi and and Napoli’s Luciano Spalletti to the honour.

Manchester City stopper Ederson won the Best Men’s Goalkeeper award while Mary Earps, the Manchester United and England No. 1, won the Women’s award in the ceremony in London.

HOW MESSI WON TIE-BREAKER WITH HAALAND

Lionel Messi won the Best Player Award in 2022 for his exploits in leading the Argentina men’s team to World Cup glory in Qatar. Messi was once again in the race after having won the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain and his role in helping Inter Miami wn the Leagues Cup in his inaugural season in Major League Soccer.

Messi edged past Erling Haaland, who scored 52 goals in all competitions in a treble-winning season for Manchester City and his former teammate Kylian Mbappe for the honour. Messi also won the 2019 Best FIFA Men’s Player award and was recognised by FIFA as the leading player in the men’s game on five occasions prior to that – 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015 – making this his eighth individual award in total.

Messi and Haaland were tied on 48 points each in the FIFA rating system for the Award. However, the Argentina captain won the Award, thanks to more votes from national team captains. The best awards are decided after votes from national team captains, coaches, journalists and fans are counted.

India captain Sunil Chhetri, Harry Kane and Mohamed Salah were among the many who voted for Messi. The Argentina skipper himself voted for Haaland ahead of Mbappe and his teammate Julian Alvarez.

According to the FIFA rules, If finalists were tied on points, the individual with the most first-choice selections from their own group of voters (Captains in this case) would be declared the winner.

AITANA BONMATI BEST WOMEN’S PLAYER

Meanwhile, Barcelona star Aitana Bonmati won the Best Women’s Player Award for 2023 after a dream season at the club and international level. The coveted award is yet another richly deserved reward for the 25-year-old midfielder, who in 2023 inspired Spain to their maiden world title and Barcelona to a domestic and European treble.

“I would like to congratulate all the nominees. And also to say that I’m proud of being part of a powerful generation of women who are changing the rules of the game and the world,” Aitana Bonmati said in a powerful victory speech in London.

“A couple of weeks ago, when 2023 came to end, I was nostalgic because it was an exceptional and unique year that I will remember for the rest of my life. Starting out 2024 by collecting this award is incredible. But as I’ve said before, I owe it to the teams I played in: Barçelona, the national team. I owe it to the seasons we had,” she added.

THE BEST FIFA AWARDS 2023: FULL LIST WITH POINTS

The Best FIFA Men’s Player

Winner: Lionel Messi (48 points)
Second: Erling Haaland (48 points)
Third: Kylian Mbappe (35 points)

The Best FIFA Women’s Player

Winner: Aitana Bonmati (52 points)
Second: Linda Caicedo (40 points)
Third: Jenni Hermoso (36 points)

The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper

Winner: Ederson (23 points)
Second: Thibaut Courtois (20 points)
Third: Yassine Bounou (16 points)\

The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper

Winner: Mary Earps (28 points)
Second: Catalina Coll (14 points)
Third: Mackenzie Arnold (12 points)

The Best FIFA Men’s Coach

Winner: Pep Guardiola (28 points)
Second: Luciano Spalletti (18 points)
Third: Simone Inzaghi (11 points)

The Best FIFA Women’s Coach

Winner: Sarina Wiegman (28 points)
Second: Emma Hayes (18 points)
Third: Jonatan Giraldez (14 points)

The FIFA Puskas Award: Guilherme Madruga

The FIFA Fair Play Award: Brazil national team.