Messi’s six of the best
BARCELONA superstar Lionel Messi has beaten Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk and fivetime winner Cristiano Ronaldo to claim FIFA’s Player of the Year award for a record sixth time.
“I want to thank those who gave this prize to me, even though individual awards are a secondary thing to me,” the 32-year-old said.
“It is a unique moment and it is good to celebrate it with my family and my children.”
The Argentine had won the award, formerly the Ballon d’Or, in 2009, ’10, ’11, ’12 and ’15.
Last season Messi scored 51 goals and won his 10th La Liga title with Barcelona, where he has played since 2004, clinching four Champions League trophies.
The award for best women’s player went to Megan Rapinoe, who helped the US triumph at the 2019 World Cup in France.
Rapinoe had lifted the previous 2015 World Cup under coach Jill Ellis, who received the prize for best women’s coach.
The outspoken star pleaded for her male and female colleagues to join the likes of Manchester City winger Raheem Sterling in speaking out on racism and other inequalities.
The best male coach award went to Juergen Klopp while Alisson Becker was named best goalkeeper — both enjoying Liverpool’s Champions League triumph.
“My team gave me the opportunity to lift this trophy,” Klopp said. “I did not know how it would feel to win this award, but it feels really good.
“It is important to use your character to lead a football team.”
Daniel Zsori’s spectacular overhead kick brought him the Ferenc Puskas award, bringing the prize home in a sense as it bears the name of the 20th-century footballing legend from Zsori’s native Hungary.
Debrecen’s Zsori scored his textbook goal in February against Ferencvaros.
Sari van Veenendaal, a 2019 World Cup finalist with the Netherlands, was named best goalkeeper in women’s football.
Controversial coach Marcelo Bielsa and England’s Leeds United were surprise winners of the Fair Play Award.
The veteran Argentine and his players were given the gong for allowing Aston Villa to score against them in April.
Angry scenes broke out after Mateusz Klich scored for Leeds while Villa’s Jonathan Kodjia lay injured on the field.
Bielsa insisted Leeds, despite the attempts of former defender Pontus Jansson to stop it, allow Villa to score from the kick-off.
It proved crucial with the game finishing 1-1 and Leeds losing out to eventual promotion rival Sheffield United to guarantee its automatic spot in the Premier League.