GOAT: Lionel Messi breaks several records as he’s named the FIFA Men’s Best Player 2022
February 27, 2023
PSG star and Argentinian captain Lionel Messi has been named the FIFA Men’s Best Player 2022 for a record 7th time.
Messi who was up against fellow PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid French forward Karim Benzema was crowned the best in a star studded event.
To win this award, the 7 time Ballon D’or winner registered 50 G+A in 2022/23 season for both club and country.
He netted 30 goals and assisted his teammates 20 times.
La Pulga was involved in 65 G+A in 2022 alone from 51 appearances.
He also won the much coveted World Cup plus bagging the Player of the Tournament award.
Messi‘s 7 FIFA Men’s Best Player makes him the player with the most a record he previously held at 6.
He’s followed by Al Nasr striker Cristiano Ronaldo who has 5.
Further, the former Barcelona player also becomes the first player to win this award in 3 different decades.
Lionel Messi has also become the oldest player to win this award at 35 years.
He surpassed Luka Modric, Fabio Cannavaro and Robert Lewandowski who all won it at 33 years.
Meanwhile this was his 77th individual award.
The other major awards were all won by Argentinians.
Lionel Scaloni won the FIFA Men’s Best Coach while Aston Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez bagged the FIFA Men’s Best Goalkeeper.
The FIFA fan award was also won by Argentina.
Marcin Olesky won the PUSKAS award for the best goal.
Apparently Messi also scored another record after being named in the FIFPRO Best 11 for a 16th consecutive time the most ever.
Here is the FIFPRO Best 11 for the year 2022.