FIFA Best awards: Lionel Messi gets the Honour

The votes for the FIFA The Best award have been revealed, giving a Glimpse of nations heroes nominated for the awards.

Obviously, the big winner was Lionel Messi, and it should perhaps not be any surprise that the two FC Barcelona players to vote gave their votes to him.

Sergio Busquets, representing Spain, voted for Messi, Robert Lewandowski, and Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, in that order.

For his part, Lewandowski, representing Poland, voted for Messi, Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe, and Real Madrid’s Luka Modric.

Lewandowski was the only Barcelona player nominated for the men’s award, and he received votes from 23 players. coaches, and sportswriters. Notably, Germany captain Manuel Neuer and coach Hansi Flick voted him third. So too, did former Portugal and current Poland coach Fernando Santos, who voted for Mbappe first and Messi second. Luis Fernando Suarez, the coach of Costa Rica, was the only person to vote for Lewandowski. Overall, Lewandowski finished 12th, with 7 points.

Speaking of Portugal, former Real Madrid player Pepe was in charge of the votes instead of Cristiano Ronaldo, who usually captains them. He voted for Mbappe, Modric, and Benzema. Portugal’s current coach, Roberto Martinez, voted for Messi, Kevin De Bruyne, and Mbappe.

Modric himself voted for his teammate Benzema first, followed by Messi and Mbappe. David Alaba, another Madrid player, caused quite the stir with his vote, which went Messi, Benzema, and Mbappe.

His decision to put a former Barcelona player first resulted in outrage from some Madrid fans, some of whom abused him online, even resorting to racist attacks. The defender was forced to release a statement afterwards saying his vote was decided by the Austrian national team as a whole and that he always admired his teammate, Benzema.

While Lewandowski was the only Barcelona player nominated on the men’s side, the women’s side was a different story.

Aitana Bonmati, Keira Walsh, and Alexia Putellas were nominated for the award, with Putellas winning it for a second time. Bonmati finished 5th and Walsh 13th.

In addition, Sandra Panos Garcia-Villamil was nominated for The Best Women’s Goalkeeper, She finished 4th for the award.

England’s march to the Euro 2022 title was celebrated with Wiegman named best women’s coach ahead of Lyon’s Sonia Bompastor and Pia Sundhage of Brazil, while Earps, who started every game at the tournament pipped fellow nominees Ann-Katrin Berger of Germany and Chile’s Christiane Endler to the women’s goalkeeper award.

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 his PSG team-mate and Karim Benzema to secure the FIFA prize for a second time.

Messi get the Honor: Fifa best awards

Messi was named player of the tournament at the World Cup, the first player to receive the award twice after winning the accolade at Brazil in 2014. He scored seven goals in Qatar, including a double in the final against France, and provided three assists. He also overtook German legend Lothar Matthaus as the World Cup’s record appearance holder.

He said: “It’s been a tremendous year and it’s an honour for me to be here and win this award. Without my team-mates I wouldn’t be here.

“I achieved the dream I had been hoping for for so long. Very few people can achieve that and I have been lucky to do so.”

Elsewhere, Emiliano Martinez’s World Cup heroics for Argentina saw him named the best men’s goalkeeper, while Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni beat Man City’s Pep Guardiola and Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti to the Best FIFA Men’s Coach award.

Premier League players Virgil van Dijk, Kevin De Bruyne, Casemiro and Erling Haaland were named in the men’s world XI alonsgide Messi, Mbappe and Benzema.

Despite the disappointment of not being named best women’s player, Mead – the Euro 2022 player of the tournament and golden boot winner – was included in the best women’s XI. She was one of four Lionesses in the team alongside Arsenal team-mate Leah Williamson, Lucy Bronze and Kiera Walsh.