Lionel Messi has been awarded The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2023, acknowledging the most outstanding performer in the men's game from 19 December 2022, to 20 August 2023.
The Argentina captain had previously won the award for his exploits in 2019 and 2022.
Once again, the Argentina superstar has received this honor after a qualifying period during which he captivated football fans worldwide.
Messi's accomplishments were acknowledged at The Best FIFA Football Awards™ ceremony in London, where he emerged as the top choice in the voting, surpassing finalists Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe.
Messi topped an incredibly closely-contested poll which was voted for by national team coaches and captains as well as expert journalists and supporters across the globe.
With the 2022 World Cup winner and Norway international Haaland locked together on 48 scoring points, they were separated by the number of first-choice nominations which Messi received in votes from national team captains, as per the Rules of Allocation (article 12). France striker Mbappe finished third with 35 points.
Messi was recognised by FIFA as the leading player in the men's game on five occasions prior to that - 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015 - making this his eighth individual award in total.