Football fans across the globe are all hailing Lionel Messi after the Argentine icon picked up FIFA’s ‘The Best FIFA Men’s Player of the Year’ award. It was the seventh time the Paris Saint-Germain attacker has been awarded the honor.
Messi beat his PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema to the award. He captained Argentina to the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar in December, scoring 27 goals in 49 games for club and country during 2021-22.
It capped off a remarkable year for the Parisian attacker, who lifted the World Cup for the first time in his career. He scored seven goals and contributed three assists during the tournament in the Middle East. Messi was also handed the Golden Ball for his exploits during the campaign.
The former Barcelona attacker is used to winning awards. The FIFA award is yet another trophy to add to his glistening trophy cabinet, which also consists of seven Ballons d’Or.
However, he spoke of his pride in winning the World Cup when giving his speech at the awards ceremony in Paris. He said (via BBC Sport):
“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.”
Fans have reacted joyously to Lionel Messi’s latest achievement. One fan hailed him as:
“LIONEL MESSI HAS DONE IT, THE GREATEST FOOTBALL PLAYER OF ALL TIME! THE BEST.”
Another fan has said that the GOAT debate is over:
“At this point you need to accept that Lionel Messi is the goat ”
Here’s how Twitter reacted to Messi picking up his seventh FIFA Men’s Player of the Year award:
Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez on the impact his Argentine captain Lionel Messi has had on him
Enzo Fernandez praises Lionel Messi.
Fernandez has lauded the influence Messi has had on him during his career. He told Chelsea’s official website that he has always looked up to the PSG attacker:
“I’ve always said Leo Messi was a player I look up to. I’ve always tried to learn from him. He’s a great person and has given me love and support within the team.”
Fernandez was part of the Argentina side that lifted the FIFA World Cup in Qatar, with Messi leading the side to the trophy. The midfielder featured seven times, scoring one goal and providing an assist.
The Argentine’s impressive performances during the World Cup earned him a blockbuster move to Chelsea in January. The Blues broke the British transfer record to sign him from Benfica for £106.8 million.
“Ronaldo is 12th man”, “At the bench again” – Fans react as Cristiano Ronaldo misses out on place in FIFPRO Men’s World XI
Fans mocked Cristiano Ronaldo after he was left out of FIFPRO Men’s World XI. The Portuguese’s arch-rival Lionel Messi and his former Real Madrid teammates Luka Modric and Karim Benzema were selected.
Ronaldo had a difficult year for both club and country. He struggled at Manchester United under Erik ten Hag at the start of the season, scoring just three goals in 16 games across competitions.
The Al Nassr forward was given a break from his tumultuous time at Old Trafford when he headed to Qatar for the 2022 FIFA World Cup. However, he was unable to break Selecao das Quinas legend Eusebio’s record of nine goals, scoring just once in five games. He sits on eight goals in the World Cup.
Ronaldo’s struggles have coincided with the Madrid icon missing out on a place in FIFPRO Men’s World XI. However, Los Blancos are well represented, as Thibaut Courtois was named in goal, with Modric in midfield and Benzema in attack.
They are joined by Paris Saint-Germain’s Moroccan right-back Achraf Hakimi, Liverpool’s Dutch defender Virgil van Dijk and Bayern Munich’s Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo in defense.
Meanwhile, Manchester City’s Belgian midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Manchester United’s Brazilian midfield man Casemiro joined Modric in the middle of the park in the hypothetical XI. Benzema is in attack alongside PSG duo Kylian Mbappe (France) and Lionel Messi (Argentina). Manchester City’s Norweigan frontman Erling Haaland is also in a fierce four-man frontline.
However, there was no spot for Ronaldo, which has led fans to mock him for his omission. One fan tweeted:
“Ronaldo at the bench again.”
Another fan captioned a picture of a depressed silhouette being reviewed by VAR:
“Ronaldo is the 12th man (laughing face).”
Here’s how Twitter reacted to the iconic forward not being chosen for FIFPRO Men’s Team of the Year:
