FIFA's Best Player Is Undoubtedly Messi.
Lionel Messi wins FIFA's best player award for the seventh time.
World Cup Champion Lionel Messi edged Kylian Mbappe again, this time to take FIFA's best men's player award on Monday. The best woman's player was Spain's Alexia Putellas for a second straight year. After steering Argentina to World Cup glory in an epic final against Mbappe's France last year in Qatar, Messi won the best player vote against Mbappe and Karim Benzema and secured the FIFA prize for the seventh time in 14 years.
"It was a crazy year for me", Messi said. " I could fulfil my World Cup dream after fighting for it for so long. In the end it happened, and it was the most beautiful thing of my career. It's the dream of every player, but very few can achieve it, so I am thankful to God for being able to do it". The three players made the final shortlist in voting by a global panel of national team captains and coaches, selected journalists in each of FIFA's 211 members countries, plus fans online.
The 35-year old Messi also beat Mbappe -who was seeking his first best player award from FIFA-to the Golden ball trophy awarded by FIFA for the World Cup's best player. Mbappe earned the Golden Boot as top scorer. Mbappe, 11 years younger than Messi at 24 and considered Messi's heir apparent on the world stage, made the three-man shortlist for the first time.
Real Madrid star Benzema won the more prestigious Ballon d'Or in October ahead of the World Cup. Messi broke a record he shared with Ronaldo by making the men's World best 11 for the 16th time. Messi voted for former Barcelona team-mate Neymar as his choice for best player. His compatriots Lionel Scaloni and Emiliano Martinez won the coach of the year, and keeper of the award respectively.
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