The Best FIFA Football Awards 2023 Highlights: The Qatar World Cup has been definitive for the Argentine awards festival held in Paris, leaving behind everything achieved in the 21-22 season, including the Champions League.
Paris and the FIFA Best Awards were just a continuation of what happened in Doha during the recent World Cup. It was an Argentine festival with Lionel Messi at the forefront as the big winner, perfectly supported by Dibu Martinez in goal and Lionel Scaloni from the bench, proclaimed as the best goalkeeper and the number one coach of 2022. “It’s an honor for me to be here with Kylian and Karim. It’s a prize for my teammates, a recognition of what the team has done. The World Cup was my dream and in the end, it came true. It’s the most beautiful thing that has happened in my career,” said the Argentine with the Best Award in his hand.
There was less glamour than on other occasions on the green carpet of the Pleyel hall. Veterans, legends, but few active footballers, who know they won’t receive any awards, prefer to watch the gala from home. Mbappรฉ was the only non-winning finalist who showed up.
FIFA decided to change the rules of its award, extending the coverage until after the Qatar event, and the response has been to forget everything that happened during the season, the period of time that the World football governing body has stipulated to reward the best players. The consequence is that domestic leagues and the Champions League were minimized in the face of the impact of the third World Cup won by the Albiceleste.
Messi was the best in the World Cup and as such received honors first in Doha and two months later in the French capital, his daily home. Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappรฉ escorted the Argentine on that hypothetical podium that did not take place in the Pleyel hall.
CR7 and Lewandowski, with two Best Awards
Messi is thus equal to Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski, who have two FIFA Best trophies each, along with Luka Modric, who was rightfully and acclaimedly proclaimed the best in 2018.
The Best Award, which has nothing to do with the FIFPro Best XI, although they have been announced at the same gala, is equally chosen by the 211 national team captains, 211 national team coaches, journalists, and fans. The problem that has arisen in this edition is that the voting took place immediately after the Qatar event, and the protagonists there have swept the awards. Scaloni, who has renewed his contract with Argentina until 2026, has prevailed over Ancelotti and Guardiola, while Dibu Martinez has won over Thibaut Courtois and Sevilla’s Bono.
The gala began with a heartfelt tribute from the football world. “Pele is eternal,” said Infantino to kick off the gala and FIFA’s small recognition of the considered best player in the history of football. Ronaldo Nazario was in charge of adding color and passion to the tribute to the Santos forward. “He was football. For me and for many, he has been a source of inspiration. In the toughest moments of my career, he gave me love and confidence. In times with more racism, he showed that a black man can be the best. His legacy will be eternal.”
