MESSI, PUTELLAS WIN FIFA AWARDS
World Cup champion Lionel Messi edged Kylian Mbappe again, this time to take FIFA’s best men’s player award on Monday.
The best women’s player was Spain’s Alexia Putellas for a second straight year, with San Diego Wave FC star
Alex Morgan finishing second in voting for the second time in her career.
After steering Argentina to World Cup glory in an epic final against Mbappe’s
France last year in Qatar,
Messi won the best player vote against Mbappe and
Karim Ben- zema and se- cured the
FIFA prize for the seventh time in 14 years.
He won the World Cup at his record-equaling fifth attempt.
“It was a crazy year for me,” Messi said. “I could fulfill my (World Cup) dream after fighting for it for so long. And in the end it happened, and it was the most beautiful thing of my career.”
Mbappe, 11 years younger than Messi at 24 and considered Messi’s heir apparent on the world stage, made the three-man shortlist for the first time.
Putellas won her award ahead of Morgan of the United States and Beth Mead, who led England to the European Championship title in 2022.
Morgan, who was second in the 2019 vote to U.S. teammate Megan Rapinoe, was player of the tournament when the U.S. won the CONCACAF W Championship last year. She was also tied for top scorer.
More soccer
U.S. women’s coach Vlatko Andonovski earned 27 percent as much as men’s coach Gregg Berhalter in the year ending last March 31, down slightly from 28 percent in the previous year.
• World Cup winner Lionel Scaloni, named FIFA’s coach of the year, will remain as coach of Argentina to the end of the 2026 World Cup.
• Nick Bontis resigned as president of the Canadian Soccer Association, acknowledging change is needed to achieve labor peace with the men’s and women’s teams.
Local colleges
After a dominant week at the plate that saw him earn WCC Co-Player of the Week honors, USD’s Jack Costello was named the NCAA National Player of the Week, the NCAA announced on Monday evening. Costello hit five home runs in three games while batting a blistering 7for-14 (.500) with seven runs scored and a remarkable 16 RBIs against Nebraska, Hawaii and UNLV.
• San Diego State scored a 3-2 victory over Hawaii at Tony Gwynn Stadium. Tino Bethancourt went 2-for-2 with a solo homer and a pair of walks, and Jonny Guzman allowed three hits in five shutout innings for the Aztecs (2-5).
• UC San Diego swept a baseball doubleheader against North Dakota State, winning 7-1 and 14-6. The Tritons (4-4) finished the Tony Gwynn Legacy weekend 3-1. Emiliano Gonzalez went 3for-5 with five RBIs, three runs scored and two home runs and Matt Halbach finished 5-for-10 with three RBIs and two runs scored.
Tennis
Novak Djokovic broke the record for the most time spent at No. 1 in the professional tennis rankings by a man or woman, beginning his 378th week in the ATP’s top spot to surpass Steffi Graf’s 377 leading the WTA. He already held the men’s mark, topping Roger Federer’s old standard of 310 weeks in March 2021.
NFL
The Washington Commanders released Carson Wentz, an expected move that puts an end to the one-season experiment with the veteran quarterback.
College football
UCLA coach Chip Kelly announced staff changes, including hiring D’Anton Lynn as defensive coordinator.
Lynn, the 33-year-old son of former Chargers coach Anthony Lynn, replaces Bill McGovern, who will transition into a role as director of football administration after experiencing health issues that forced him to miss five games.
Outside linebackers coach
Ikaika Malloe will coach the defensive line upon the departure of Chad Malloe, and running backs coach DeShaun Foster was given a title bump to associate head coach.
• Florida hired Austin Armstrong as its defensive coordinator. He spent about two months as an assistant on
Nick Saban’s Alabama staff.
Death
Terry Holland, who elevated Virginia basketball to national prominence during 16 seasons as coach, died Sunday. He was 80 and was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2019. In 1974, Holland took over a program with three winning seasons in 21 years and guided the Cavaliers to nine NCAA Tournaments, two Final Fours and the 1980 NIT title.