PARIS-SAINT GERMAIN star Lionel Messi has been crowned The Best Men’s Player of the Year by FIFA.
The 35-year-old pipped the likes of Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, Erling Haaland and two-time winner Robert Lewandowski to claim the prestigious award.
ReutersMessi has won FIFA’s The Best Award[/caption]
GettyLionel Messi was joined by his wife Antonela[/caption]
GettyMessi exchanges a look with his PSG team-mate Kylian Mbappe[/caption]
AFPMan Utd ace Casemiro jetted to Paris for the ceremony with his Wag[/caption]
ReutersMan City ace Joao Cancelo, on loan at Bayern Munich, was also at the do[/caption]
ReutersAston Villa keeper Emi Martinez and his wife were in attendance[/caption]
ReutersThe Argentina World Cup winner picked up the Best Goalkeeper award[/caption]
GettyEngland star Mary Earps picked up the Women’s Goalkeeper award after helping the Lionesses to Euro glory[/caption]
GettyFellow England star Beth Mead was also at the glitzy ceremony[/caption]
Messi has now won two ‘The Best’ awards, meaning he is level with Lewandowski and his old rival Cristiano Ronaldo who have also been honoured twice.
The forward has been enjoying another record-breaking season for both club and country.
Since the start of the 2022-23 campaign he has recorded an incredible total of 17 goals and 16 assists in 28 appearances for PSG.
And he also managed to finally get his hands on the only trophy to have eluded him previously – the World Cup.
Messi led his Argentina teammates to glory in Qatar last year and claimed the prestigious Player of the Tournament Award in the process.
His red-hot form has continued into 2023 with PSG in pole position to retain their Ligue 1 title.
Messi left fans stunned when he scored his 700th career club goal on Sunday.
He netted once for PSG during the club’s 3-0 win over Marseille and claimed the assist for both of Mbappe‘s goals.
So it hardly came as a surprise to fans when he took to the stage in Paris to accept ‘The Best’ award.
GettyVirgil van Dijk, who was named to the FIFPRO World XI, was at the event with his family[/caption]
GettyJermaine Jenas hosted the FIFA Best ceremony[/caption]
ReutersMbappe showed up to the Paris bash with his dad Wilfried[/caption]
ReutersFormer Premier League ace Dimitri Payet was on the green carpet with his wife[/caption]
APFIFA President Gianni Infantino was, of course, present[/caption]
GettyFormer Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger on the green carpet[/caption]
APBrazil legend Ronaldo made an appearance[/caption]
GettyEx-Chelsea star Didier Drogba was also there[/caption]