Lionel Messi was crowned The Best FIFA Men’s Player for 2023, winning the award for the third time. His victory was considered a surprise, with Erling Haaland as the runner-up and Kylian Mbappe in third place. The award covered the period from December 2022 to August 2023, excluding his time at Paris Saint-Germain and acknowledging his impact at MLS side Inter Miami.
Messi’s move to Inter Miami proved successful, as he helped the team secure their first trophy, the Leagues Cup, in August. Haaland was a strong contender for the award, having scored 52 goals in his debut season with Manchester City, where they achieved a treble of Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup victories. Despite this, Messi was ultimately awarded the honor due to receiving more first-choice nominations.
In the women’s category, Patri Guijarro Bonmati was named the best player after a remarkable year, culminating in a World Cup win with Spain and Champions League victory with Barcelona. She also swept other personal awards, including the Ballon d’Or, Golden Ball for the World Cup’s best player, and UEFA’s player of the year.
Pep Guardiola was named the best men’s coach for his role in leading Manchester City to their first-ever Champions League success. A number of City players, including Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, and Kevin De Bruyne, were also included in the team of the year. Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior, Messi, and Mbappe completed the 11.
Other notable awards included Ederson winning men’s goalkeeper of the year, Mary Earps of Manchester United receiving the women’s goalkeeper award, and Sarina Wiegman named the women’s coach of the year for leading the England national team to the FIFA World Cup final. Additionally, the Brazilian men’s team won the fair play award for their solidarity in donning all black shirts in support of Vinicius, who faced racist abuse while playing for Real Madrid. Guilherme Madruga of Botafogo won the Puskas award for the best goal with a spectacular overhead kick.