- AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth
Jakarta – Lionel Messi has been crowned the FIFA Best Men's Player for 2023, while Aitana Bonmati adds the Best Women's Player title to her collection of accolades at the awards ceremony in London, local time on Monday.
Messi clinched the award for the third time, but the 36-year-old star was a surprise winner as Erling Haaland also contributed significantly to Manchester City's success.
The award only covers the period after Messi led Argentina to victory in the World Cup from December 2022 until August 2023.
Lionel Messi sabet Ballon d Or 2023
- AP Photo/Michel Euler
During that time, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi decided to end his career at PSG, despite winning the French league there and chose to join the MLS club Inter Miami in June.
Messi quickly achieved success in the United States (US) helping his team win their first trophy, the U.S. League Cup in August.
Haaland was favored to win after scoring 52 goals in his debut season with City, helping the club secure the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup.
After receiving the same number of points in the voting system from national team captains, coaches, journalists, and fans, Messi was declared the deserving winner.
Messi's former teammate, Kylian Mbappe, took third place.
However, all three finalists in the men's category did not attend the awards ceremony, so Arsenal legend and former French national team player Thierry Henry represented Messi in receiving the award
In the women's category, Bonmati's selection was undisputed after she swept individual awards due to her contributions in helping Spain win the Women's World Cup and Barcelona securing the Champions League in 2023 in the past few months.
"A few weeks ago, as 2023 came to an end, I felt nostalgic because 2023 was such a unique and incredible year, which I will remember for a lifetime," Bonmati said, as quoted by AFP.
