Argentina’s Lionel Messi, who led Argentina to the world title, was voted FIFA’s Footballer of the Year for the seventh time this Monday, beating France’s Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappé in the 2022 poll.
Messi, 35, has already won the award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019 – from 2010 to 2015, the award was jointly chosen by FIFA and France Football (FIFA Ballon d’or) — joins with a new ‘The Best’ to seven triumphs in the ‘Golden Ball’.
In 2022, the Argentine won the World Cup, the only major trophy he missed, and also the Finalissima, for Argentina, and the championship and the French Super Cup, for Paris Saint-Germain, scoring 35 goals and 31 assists, in 51 games . . , netted with 38 wins, nine draws and four losses.
In the FIFA award ranking, Messi now has two trophies more than Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who won it five times (2008, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2016/17).
Argentina also won the awards for best coach (Lionel Scaloni), goalkeeper (Emiliano Martínez) and supporters, while Spain’s Alexia Putellas (FC Barcelona) reconfirmed the title of best player in the women’s category.
England, champions of Europe, won the prizes for the best coach (Sarina Wiegman) and the best goalkeeper (Mary Earps).
For his part, Poland’s Marcin Oleksy was awarded the goal of the year, the Puskás award, and Georgia’s Luka Lochoshvili won the fair play award.
Source: DN
