Mbappé voted first for Messi in The Best

Lionel Messi won The Best award for best FIFA player of the year 2023. Specialized journalists preferred Erling Haaland in the vote, but the captains of the teams and national teams tipped the balance in favor of the Argentine. Once the winner was revealed, the votes were made public and Kylian Mbappé’s decisions did not go unnoticed.

The captain of the French national team and PSG was nominated in the same category, but preferred Messi over anyone else in the election. In second place he left Haaland and third placed Kevin De Bruyne.

But it was not the only striking thing. In the best coach category, the Frenchman put Pep Guardiola first, then Luciano Spaletti and placed Xavi third, despite a discreet season for Barcelona.

This Monday in London, Messi achieved his third win at the FIFA The Best awards, as the best soccer player in the world in 2023, where the Spanish Aitana Bonmatí won the female award.

When it seemed that the Norwegian Erling Haaland had an advantage in the bets to win the prize, with his five trophies won with Manchester City, in a trio of finalists that was completed by the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé, Messi took another prize for his infinite record.

The Inter Miami player, who was not present at the ceremony, and Aitana Bonmatí confirm with this award the Ballon d’Or won by both in 2023, after having won the men’s and women’s World Cups with their teams.

The Argentine, who adds eight Ballon d’Or awards to his three The Best awards, won the award despite the fact that the World Cup in Qatar, won by Argentina in 2022, was not taken into account in this 2023 edition.

The 36-year-old player from Rosario surpassed the young Norwegian Haaland, who seemed destined to win his first major individual recognition, while there were no surprises in the case of Aitana, best player in the Women’s World Cup.

After a season at PSG in which the Argentine could only win the French league, being eliminated in the round of 16 of the Champions League, he later added a new title in his career, in his new club, Inter Miami, with the North American Leagues Cup.