Another Messi night as Argentina skipper wins Fifa best player bauble
Just 24 hours after combining to destroy Marseille 3-0 in Ligue 1, Lionel Messi edged out his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappé to claim the 2022 Fifa player of the year award.
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Messi, 35, won the prize for inspiring Argentina in their surge to the 2022 World Cup title in Qatar.
Messi hit two goals in the final in Doha against France.
Mbappé – who finished the tournament with the Golden Boot award – scored a hat trick in the showdown which France lost on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra time.
"It's wonderful," said Messi after collecting the trophy during a gala ceremony at the Salle Pleyel in Paris on Monday night.
"It's an honour to get the award. I want to thank my teammates. The prize is a recognition for the whole group.
Joy
"This year has been crazy for me," Messi added. "I was able to accomplish my dream of winning the World Cup after fighting so hard. It is the best thing that has happened to me in my career."
The men's award was based on performances between 8 August 2021 and 18 December, 2022 – the date of the World Cup final – while the women's trophy took in games between 7 August 2021 and 31 July – the date of the final at the European championships.
Even though she missed that tournament last summer, the Barcelona and Spain international Alexia Putellas won the award as best women's player for the second consecutive year and Mary Earp, who helped England to the European crown, lifted the prize as best women's goalkeeper.
Messi's teammate Emiliano Martinez won the men's category.
Unsurprisingly, the coaching awards went to the leaders of cup winning squads; Sarina Wiegman – for taking England to the European championships in 2022 and Lionel Scaloni for masterminding Argentina's voyage to glory.
"This award goes to all the players," said the 44-year-old who steered Argentina to the Copa America in 2021.
"I want to thank them. All this group. Without them, we would not have achieved anything. I am eternally grateful to them."
During the evening, a musical tribute was paid to Pelé who died last December at the age of 82.
Images from his career were shown on a large screen in the auditorium.
The Brazilian won three World Cups during a glittering career in which he scored more than 1,200 goals.
His wife, Marcia Aoki, received a trophy to commemorate his achievements.
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