Lionel Messi was crowned FIFA’s best men’s player for the seventh time in 14 years at the FIFA awards on Monday (February 27). The World Cup champion from Argentina beat off competition from Kylian Mbappé and Karim Benzema.
Spain’s Alexia Putellas, meanwhile, was awarded the best women’s player title for a second consecutive year. Messi, 35, was ecstatic after achieving his lifelong dream of winning the World Cup. “It was a crazy year for me,” he said. “I could fulfil my (World Cup) dream after fighting for it for so long. And in the end it happened, and it was the most beautiful thing of my career.
It’s the dream of every player, but very few can achieve it, so I’m thankful to God for being able to do it.” The voting was made up of a global panel of national team captains and coaches, selected journalists in each of FIFA’s 211 member countries, plus fans online. The Barcelona star received 52 points, Mbappé obtained 44, and Benzema 34. Despite being the 2018 Golden Ball winner, Mbappé was seeking his first best player award from FIFA
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