Argentine captain, Lionel Messi has won FIFA’s “The Best” award for 2023.
The Inter Miami star pipped Manchester City’s Erling Haaland ans to win the crown for a record third time on Monday.
Haaland was tipped as favourite to win the award after scoring 52 times in his debut season for City, and guided the Citizens to the treble.
However, Messi edged the vote after winning Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain and the Leagues Cup just months after joining Inter Miami.
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The Argentinian garnered most of the votes in a three-man shortlist that included Messi’s former teammate at Paris Saint-Germain, Kylian Mbappe.
Messi’s latest award is coming just three months after he became Ballon d’Or champion for a record-breaking eighth time.
The former Barcelona star moved to David Beckham’s Miami team in 2023 scoring 11 goals in 14 appearances and winning the Leagues Cup with the team.
This award marks two successive years of being named FIFA’s Best men’s player after previously winning in 2022 and before that in 2019.
