Messi’s Surprising Triumph: FIFA The Best 2023 Goes to the Argentine Maestro Despite Limited Trophies

In an unexpected turn of events, Lionel Messi has secured the FIFA The Best award for 2023, despite only clinching the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain and the Leagues Cup with Inter Miami in the specified period. The Argentine icon not only dominated the fan vote but also earned the approval of numerous national team captains, securing his eighth FIFA award.

Remarkably, Messi’s triumph in the fan vote and the overwhelming support from national team captains, including notable names like Federico Valverde, Luka Modric, Robert Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappe, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk, and others, propelled him past his competitors, including Erling Haaland.

Even individuals like Gary Medel, who had a contentious history with Messi during the 2019 Copa America, contributed to Messi’s victory by casting their votes in his favor. Noteworthy is Ronald Koeman’s unique perspective, as he ranked both Haaland and Mbappe above Messi in this particular instance.

Surprisingly, some interesting names, such as Ilkay Gundogan, David Alaba, and Casemiro, backed Haaland in their voting choices. In this closely contested race, Messi and Haaland finished level on points, but Messi clinched the victory by securing more votes from national team captains, showcasing the enduring impact and global appeal of the legendary Argentine forward.