Lionel Messi and Aitana Bonmati were big winners at the FIFA Best awards ceremony held in London on Monday.
Messi needed a tier breaker with Manchester City forward Erling Haaland to win the FIFA Best Men’s Player top prize.
Voting results showed the Argentine tied on 48 points each with Haaland after votes from national teams coaches, captains, journalists and fans.
However, the Inter Miami of USA playmaker beat Haaland to the gong having had more first-place scores from the votes of national team captains, 107 to 64.
FULL LIST OF WINNERS:
Puskás Award: Guilherme Madruga (Botafogo-SP)
FIFA Fair Play Award: Brazil senior men’s players
FIFA Fan Award: Hugo Miguel Iñiguez
Men’s Coach of the Year: Pep Guardiola
Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Éderson (Man City)
Men’s World XI:
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
Defence: John Stones (Man City), Kyle Walker (Man City), Rúben Dias (Man City)
Midfield: Bernardo Silva (Man City), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)
Forwards: Erling Haaland (Man City), Kylian Mbappé (PSG), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami), Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid)
In the women’s corner, Bonmati stood out in style and made a clean sweep of the top prize following an excellent campaign for country and club in 2023.
The 25 years old helped Spain to a first-ever Women’s World Cup title and Barcelona to Champions League glory same year.
She scooped the award over her compatriot Jenni Hermoso and Colombia superstar Linda Caicedo.
She also won the Ballon d’Or, Golden Ball for player of the World Cup, and Uefa’s Player of the Year in recent months.
Women’s Coach of the Year: Sarina Wiegman
Goalkeeper of the Year: Mary Earps (Man United)
Women’s World XI:
Goalkeeper: Earps (Man United)
Defence: Olga Carmona (Real Madrid), Lucy Bronze (Barcelona), Alex Greenwood (Man City)
Midfield: Keira Walsh (Man City), Alessia Russo (Arsenal), Lauren James (Chelsea), Ella Toone (Man United), Aitana Bonmatí (Barcelona)
Attack: Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave), Sam Kerr (Chelsea).
