Lionel Messi and Aitana Bonmati were the big winners at the Best FIFA Awards held in London on Monday after both players played a starring role as Argentina and Spain clinched the men and women FIFA World Cups respectively in 2023. In the men’s category Argentinean Lionel Messi beat Manchester City striker Erling Haaland to the award. The two forwards were tied on points and the decision was put down to a tiebreaker based on choices of the four home nations captains of England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland.
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The votes are decided by media representatives from all FIFA member associations and national team coaches.
Barcelona and Spain star Aitana Bonmati beat competition from compatriot Jenni Hermoso and Colombia Linca Caicedo to add the Best FIFA Women’s Player to her trophy cabinet that already boasts the Ballon d’Or, UEFA award and the World Cup Golden Boot.
The Likuena goalkeeper picked Haaland as his first choice for the Best FIFA Men’s Player followed by Mbappe in second and Nigeria’s talisman, Victor Osimhen taking the third spot.
For the Best Men’s Goalkeeper award, Moerane voted for Manchester City and Brazil Ederson, who won the award on the night in first position, Barcelona and Germany’s Marc-Andre Ter Stegen in second and Morocco’s Yassine Bounou as his third choice.
In the women’s category, Mehalalitoe captain Boitumelo “Queen” Rabale voted for Linda Caicedo in first place ahead of Lauren James and Sam Kerr in third and fourth positions respectively.
Likuena coach Leslie Notši had eventual winner Lionel Messi as his first choice, Kylian Mbappe in second and Elrling Haaland as his third choice.
Mehalalitoe coach Pule Khojane went for the winner in the women’s category Aitana Bonmati as his first choice along with Hinata Mikazawa and Salma Paralluela as his second and third choices respectively.
In the Best FIFA Men’s category, Notši put eventual winner Pep Guardiola as his winner, Luciano Spalletti coming in second and Ange Postecoglou in third.
Meanwhile, Khojane picked the winner of the Best Women’s Coach in England’s Sarina Wiegman in first spot ahead of Emma Hayes and Australia coach Tony Gustavsson.
Members of the media also cast their votes in the Best Men’s Player, Lesotho Times Moorosi Tsiane put Lionel Messi as the winner, Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe in second and third positions respectively.
Tlalane Phahla of thepost newspaper, who was Lesotho’s representative in the media category for the Best FIFA Women Player for 2023, voted for eventual winner in Aitana Bonmati of Spain in first position while Alex Greenwood and Jennifer Hermoso were her second and third choices.
Mikia Kalati
