Messi Beats Haaland, Mbappe to Win Best FIFA Men's Player Award
Lionel Messi has become the first footballer to win The Best FIFA Men's Player award three times after the 36-year-old was confirmed as the 2023 winner at The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony in London on Monday.
However, Messi was not present at the party as he was with his Inter Miami teammates preparing for a pre-season friendly against El Salvador on Friday.
Messi topped the vote ahead of fellow finalists Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
The Argentina captain had previously won the award for his exploits in 2019 and 2022.
The Best FIFA Football Awards are usually based on performances across a calendar year, unlike the Ballon d'Or, which judges players on their achievements over the course of a season.
However, FIFA's selection criteria for the 2023 men's awards was achievements during the period from December 19, 2022 to August 20, 2023.
This is because the 2022 awards covered the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which ended on December 18.
Nevertheless, it is likely that many voters were still influenced by Messi's exploits at Qatar 2022, where he produced seven goals and three assists in Argentina's victorious seven-game campaign.
During the official selection criteria for the 2023 award, Messi scored nine goals in 21 games for Paris Saint-Germain before moving to Miami in July.
He then scored 11 times and provided five assists in his first 14 games for Miami, helping his new team win a first trophy in the form of the Leagues Cup.
Messi also scored five goals in three games for Argentina between December 19 and August 20.
Only four players have won The Best FIFA Men's Player award since it was launched in 2016.
Cristiano Ronaldo won the first two editions before Luka Modric received the 2018 prize.
Robert Lewandowski was the winner for 2020 and 2021.