On Tuesday, Argentine football sensation Lionel Messi secured the top position, winning the Best FIFA Men’s 2023 award by surpassing Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
After sealing his eighth Ballon d’Or in 2023, the Inter Miami player has now been the first player to ever win the award while playing in the Major League Soccer (MLS), and his third time winning the prestigious award.
All the top three players, Messi, Mbappe, and Halaand did not attend the ceremony in London. The 36-year-old stayed in Miami for their first preseason game of the 2024 campaign.
Messi’s side Inter Miami will start their 2024 MLS campaign against Salt Lake on February 22. However, before that, they will lock horns against Al Nassr in a friendly match on February 1, which will see the iconic face-off between the Argentine and Cristiano Ronaldo.
The year 2023 saw Messi leaving Paris Saint Germain (PSG) after which he joined the MLS side as a free transfer. For Miami, the eight-time Ballon d’Or scored 11 goals after appearing in 14 matches.
Messi won the Ligue 1 title with PSG in 2023 before joining the Miami-based side, where he won the 2023 Leagues Cup – a competition between MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX sides – scoring 10 goals.
On the other hand, Spaniard Aitana Bonmati won the Best FIFA Women’s Player 2023 on Tuesday. The 25-year-old won three more major titles in 2023 for FC Barcelona, including UEFA Women’s Champions League, Liga F, and Supercopa de Espana Femenina.