The best of 2022 in football received their awards
Lionel Messi, the Argentinian player for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), won the FIFA Men’s Player of the Year Award.
The gala night, where FIFA determined the best of 2022, took place at the Pleyel Concert Hall in Paris, the capital of France. The FIFA Best of the Year awards, which came to life after the association with France Football magazine ended in 2010, were distributed for the seventh time.
The ceremony began with the projection of sections of the career of the legendary Brazilian soccer player Pelé, who died on December 29, 2022. The special award given to Pelé, whose real name is Edson Arantes do Nascimento, was received by his wife, Marcia Aoki.
Messi of PSG was chosen as the best male footballer of the year as a result of the vote carried out with the participation of the public and a group selected from the coaches and captains of the national teams, members of the press.
Messi, who starred in the victory of the Argentine National Team in the 2022 FIFA World Cup with 7 goals scored, surpassed his PSG teammate Kylian Mbappé and Real Madrid Karim Benzema.
The 35-year-old Argentine soccer player, who received the Ballon d’Or award seven times from France Football magazine, won the FIFA player of the year award for the third time after 2009 and 2019.
The Spanish midfielder from Barcelona Alexia Putellas received the award for the best player, like last year.
DIRECTOR OF THE YEAR SCALONI
Lionel Scaloni, who led Argentina to its first FIFA World Cup title in 36 years, was named men’s coach of the year, ahead of Carlo Ancelotti (Real Madrid) and Josep Guardiola (Manchester City).
Sarina Wiegman, who won the European Championship in charge of the England National Team, received the award for the best coach in women’s football. The goalkeeper of the Aston Villa Club and the Argentine National Team, Emiliano Martínez, was awarded as male goalkeeper of the year, and the English Mary Earps, who plays for Manchester United, was awarded as female goalkeeper of the year.
The FIFA Puskas Award for the best goal of the year went to amputee footballer Marcin Oleksy, who plays for Warta Poznan in the Polish league.
Luka Lochoshvili, the Georgian footballer for Italian First Division (Serie A) team Cremonese, won the FIFA Fair Play Award. Lochoshvili saved the life of Austria Wien player Georg Teigl, who choked on his tongue last season when he was playing for Wolfsberger in the Austrian league.
The FIFA Fan Award was presented to the Argentine fans who supported their teams in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Brazilian model Adriana Lima, who was announced as a FIFA Global Fans Ambassador, presented the award.
11’S OF THE YEAR
The following men and women have been selected for Year 11, determined by FIFA and the International Association of Professional Footballers (FIFPro):
- men;
- Goalie: Thibaut Courtois
- Defending: Achraf Hakimi, Joao Cancelo, Virgil van Dijk
- Midfield player: Casemiro, Kevin de Bruyne, Luke Modric
- Striker: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Karim Benzema, Erling Haaland
- Women;
- Goalie: Christiane Endler
- Defending: Lucy Bronze, Mapi Leon, Leah Williamson, Wendie Renard
- Midfield player: Alexia Putellas, Kiera Walsh, Lena Oberdorf
- Striker: Alex Morgan, Sam Kerr, Beth Mead
(AA)