Lionel Messi secured FIFA’s “The Best” award for the third time, defeating Manchester City’s Erling Haaland to claim the title of the best men’s player in 2023.
Despite Haaland’s remarkable debut season with 52 goals for Manchester City, Messi clinched the award by winning Ligue 1 with Paris Saint-Germain and the Leagues Cup shortly after joining Inter Miami.
Messi narrowly outperformed Manchester City’s Erling Haaland to secure the men’s prize. While both players were tied at 48 points in FIFA’s scoring system, Messi emerged victorious due to the votes cast by national men’s side captains.The awards underscored the dominance of English football in both the women’s and men’s categories.