Lionel Messi wins Best FIFA Men’s award, beating Haaland and Mbappe

The Best FIFA Men’s 2023 title went to the Argentine sensation Lionel Messi on Tuesday, as he defeated Kylian Mbappe and Erling Halaand to take first place. The Inter Miami player became the first person to win the Ballon d’Or while participating in Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2023 after earning the coveted trophy for the eighth time. The three best players—Messi, Mbappe, and Halaand—did not show up for the London celebration. The 36-year-old attended their opening preseason game of the 2024 season while still residing in Miami.

Messi’s group On February 22, Inter Miami will play Salt Lake in the opening match of their 2024 MLS season. But first, on February 1, they will square off against Al Nassr in a friendly game that will feature the legendary matchup between Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina. Messi left Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) in 2023 and signed a free agent contract with the MLS team. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner appeared in 14 games and scored 11 goals for Miami. Before joining the Miami-based team, Messi won the 2023 Leagues Cup, a competition between MLS and Liga MX teams in Mexico, with 10 goals. Messi had previously won the Ligue 1 championship with PSG.

However, Aitana Bonmati, a Spaniard, took home the Best FIFA Women’s Player 2023 title on Tuesday. For FC Barcelona, the 25-year-old took home three more major championships in 2023: the Supercopa de Espana Femenina, Liga F, and the UEFA Women’s Champions League.