Lionel Messi of Argentina and Paris Saint-Germain has been named men’s player of the year at the 2022 Best Fifa Awards.
The seven-time Ballon d’Or winner triumphed over French forwards Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema.
Messi, 35, scored 27 goals in 49 games for club and country in 2021-22, helping Argentina win the World Cup in Qatar.
Alexia Putellas of Barcelona was named women’s player of the year.
“It’s amazing,” Messi said after winning the award for the second time. It’s been a fantastic year, and it’s an honour to be here and receive this award. I wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for my teammates.
“I achieved the dream I had been hoping for for so long. Very few people can achieve that and I have been lucky to do so.”
Lionel Scaloni, who led Argentina to their third World Cup title, was named men’s coach of the year at the ceremony in Paris.
Scaloni was chosen over Pep Guardiola, who led Manchester City to their sixth Premier League title, and Real Madrid’s Champions League-winning manager Carlo Ancelotti.
Sarina Wiegman of England was named women’s coach of the year after leading the Lionesses to their first major title, the European Championship, on home soil last year.
Emiliano Martinez of Aston Villa and Argentina was named the best men’s goalkeeper. The 30-year-old assisted his country in winning the World Cup, saving four penalties along the way, including the final shootout victory over France.
Marcin Oleksy, an amputee footballer from Warta Poznan, won the Fifa Puskas award for the best goal in world football for his stunning overhead volley against Stal Rzeszow, which he sent flying into the back of the net using his crutches.
The Fifa Fair Play Award was given to Luka Lochoshvili, who saved the life of his opponent, Georg Teigl, by holding his opponent’s tongue.
Thibaut Courtois; Virgil van Dijk, Joao Cancelo; Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modric, Casemiro; Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe.
