FIFA revealed today that Inter Miami CF and Argentinian national team captain Lionel Messi has been named as one of the three finalists for The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award 2023.
The accolade recognizes the most outstanding performers in the men’s game from the period of Dec. 19, 2022 to Aug. 20, 2023.
The World Cup champion, who won the prestigious individual award in 2022 and 2019, is coming off another legendary year. The attacker lifted the Ligue 1 title, was named to the Ligue 1 team of the season as the player with the most assists in the campaign, and led Inter Miami to its first-ever title, winning the inaugural edition of the new Leagues Cup tournament, and helped the team reach the 2023 U.S. Open Cup final; Messi was also claimed Top Scorer and Best Player honors for the 2023 Leagues Cup. Additionally, he now has over 100 goals for his country and is the all-time top scorer in the top five European leagues
The winner of the illustrious prize will be revealed at a London ceremony on Jan. 15, 2024. A total of 12 players were initially nominated for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, having been chosen by a panel of experts. From this shortlist, the three finalists – Messi, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe – have been selected by an international jury comprising: men’s national team coaches, men’s national team captains, football journalists, and fans who voted on FIFA’s official website.
