Argentine star Lionel Messi was crowned FIFA World Player of the Year 2022, beating his Paris Saint-Germain colleague Kylian Mbappe and compatriot Karim Benzema.
Messi received the award during the annual FIFA ceremony to announce the "Best" awards, which was held today, Monday, in the French capital, Paris.
Messi crowned his effort and contribution to the crowning of the Argentine national team in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, by winning the "Best" award after he had previously won it in 2019, noting that FIFA returned to award it in 2016 after separating from the Golden Ball award awarded by "France Football" magazine.
Messi, who won the Golden Ball award 7 times in a record achievement, was previously present on the podium of the FIFA ceremony, but he contented himself with watching the Polish Robert Lewandowski win the title on both occasions, while the Argentine settled for third place in 2020 behind his Portuguese rival Cristiano Ronaldo and the runner-up in 2021 against the Egyptian Mohamed Salah. .
He won the award before in 2019, so how can he not lift it again when he is the world champion in Qatar 2022 🇦🇷
Messi achieves a new individual award and completes the Argentine sweep tonight🤷♂️
Leo is the winner of the FIFA The Best award as the best player in the world in 2022 🏆🐐#TheBest 💫 pic.twitter.com/vObTN8hLxH
- FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@fifaworldcup_ar) February 27, 2023
But the 35-year-old's coronation of the world title, which was the first for Argentina since 1986, strengthened his chances to be the best for 2022 in this race, whose champion was determined by the votes of coaches and leaders of all national teams and a journalist from each country, in addition to the fans.
Messi's coronation with the title of the best in the world came a day after he scored his 700th goal at the club level (Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain).
⚽️ Leo Messi has reached 7 ️⃣ 0 ️⃣ 0 ️⃣ goals at club level after his last goal against Marseille!
🐐👏#OMPSG
pic.twitter.com/HsMZKUJ7VV
- Paris Saint-Germain (@PSG_arab) February 27, 2023
Lionel Scaloni, the coach of the Argentine national team crowned with the World Cup in Qatar, won the award for best coach in the world for the year 2022, beating Italian Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid coach who won the European Champions League, and Spanish coach Pep Guardiola, Manchester City coach.
Fabio Capello hands Lionel Scaloni his award 🏆
The first non-European coach to be crowned the best award 🇦🇷#TheBest 💫@lioscaloni pic.twitter.com/jhGgzjGMfu
- FIFA World Cup 🏆 (@fifaworldcup_ar) February 27, 2023
The other Argentine, Emiliano Martinez, won the award for best goalkeeper in the world, after his brilliance in the 2022 World Cup, beating Belgian Thibaut Courtois, Real Madrid goalkeeper, and Moroccan Yassin Bono, Seville goalkeeper.
🚨🇵🇱 𝐎𝐅𝐅𝐈𝐂𝐈𝐀𝐋: This goal from Marcin Oleksy has won the FIFA Puskas 2022 award!
pic.twitter.com/X1eTS6Js2u
— EuroFoot (@eurofootcom) February 27, 2023
Polish Marcin Oleksiy, player of the Varta Poznani team for people with special needs, won the Puskas Award for the most beautiful goal in the world (scored against Stal Gishov), ahead of Frenchman Dimitri Payet, Marseille player (against PAOK Thessaloniki, Greece) and Brazilian Richarlison (against Serbia in the Qatar World Cup).
FIFA also announced the ideal squad for the 2022 team as well.
FIFA announces the selection of the ideal squad for men.#FIFAFootballAwards #TheBestAwards #TheBest #The_best#Best_Award pic.twitter.com/THs14mneuR
- beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) February 27, 2023
In terms of women's football, Spain's Alexia Potillas, a Barcelona player, won the Best in the World award.
Dutch coach Sarina Wegman was crowned the best women's football coach in the world for the year 2022.