Lionel Messi did not travel to London to participate in the FIFA The Best FIFA Awards galabest player of the season, surpassing, this time, the Norwegian scorer Erling Haalandwho completed the shortlist of the “Best Player 2023” category along with the Frenchman Kylian Mbappé.
The captain of the Argentine team, holder of that award, stayed in USA to continue with the preseason of Inter Miami, whose squad returned from vacation on Saturday with a view to the start of the official season in February.
British media outlets and international television networks with correspondents in London assured that the Argentine star will not be at the ceremony scheduled to start at 4:30 p.m. at the Eventim Apollo auditorium in that city.
Messi, 36-year-old, two-time winner of the prize awarded by FIFA, was at a disadvantage in the previous due to the favoritism of Haaland, champion of everything in his first season with Manchester City. The Norwegian won the treble (Premier League, European Champions League and FA Cup), as well as the European Super Cup.
He was the scorer of the Premier League with 36 goals (record) and the top scorer of the “Champions” with 12 in the same period that he was chosen as the player of the year in England and Europe by UEFA.
The awards FIFA The Best 2023 They correspond to the sporting period delimited between December 19, 2022, the day after the final of the World Cup in Qatar, and August 20 of last year. In that segment, Messi won the French Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain, the Leagues Cup with Inter Miami and surpassed the barrier of 100 goals with the Argentine national team, a record reached by no one in the history of the AFA.
The man from Rosario is now going for a new record: making the FIFA/FIFPro World XI team, which would increase his record as a player with the most appearances (16) in that ideal formation each year.
All shortlists for The Best awards
Best player:
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami/Argentina), Kylian Mbappé (PSG/France), Erling Haaland (Manchester City/Norway).
Best player:
Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona/Spain), Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid/Colombia), Jenni Hermoso (Pachuca/Spain).
Best goalkeeper:
Yassine Bounou (Seville/Morocco), Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid/Belgium), Ederson Moraes (Manchester City/Brazil).
Best goalkeeper:
Mackenzie Arnold (West Ham/Australia), Catalina Coll (Barcelona/Spain), Mary Earps (Manchester United/England).
Best coach:
Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Simone Inzaghi (Inter Milan), Luciano Spalletti (Napoli).
Best coach:
Jonatan Giraldez (Barcelona), Emma Hayes (Chelsea), Sarina Wiegman (England).
Source: Ambito
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