LONDON.- Lionel Messi moved to Miami and he doesn’t stop collecting prizes.
On Monday, the Argentine star won the award for the best soccer player in the world presented by the FIFA after leaving the Paris Saint-Germain for military in the Inter Miami. With Messi as a bastion, in addition to revolutionizing football in USA, the club of the MLS won the title of the unknown Leagues Cup.
In a close vote, Messi surpassed the podium Kylian Mbappé y Erling Haalandthe same two players he defeated by receiving his eighth Golden Ball last October.
Messi and Haaland were tied with 48 points and the vote of the captains was used to break the tie, according to the awards regulations. Messi obtained 13 votes from the captains against Haaland’s 11. Mbappé was third after receiving 35 points.
The captain of the Argentine national team did not attend the “The Best” gala held at the Hammersmith Apollo theater in western London.
Moments later, the Spanish world champion Aitana Bonmatí completed a sweep of women’s football awards. The 25-year-old creative midfielder was proclaimed the best in the world by the FIFAafter winning the Golden Ball last October, which followed an award from the UEFA in August.
All this after shining to give Spain her first star as world champion and consecrate herself with the Barcelona in the Champions League. She was awarded as the best player in both tournaments.
Bonmatí surpassed her Spanish teammate on the podium Jenni Hermoso and the young Colombian attacker Linda Caicedo.
“Proud to be part of a generation of women that is changing the rules of the game and the world.”, said Bonmatí.
The eligibility period for women covered the activity from August 1, 2022 until the final of the world last August. The Spanish “Roja” defeated 1-0 England in the final held in Sydney, Australia.
Messi won the award FIFA for the eighth time in 15 years. He also did it last year after becoming world champion with the albiceleste.
The men’s award did not take into account the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, which ended 13 months ago. Only the achievements after the tournament and until August 20 were taken into account.
The three players ended up as finalists in a vote by a global panel made up of the coaches and captains of the national teams, a select group of journalists and online fans.
Impact on Inter Miami:
Messi and Mbappé won the French league title with the PSGbut the club disappointed in the Champions League and the French Cup, eliminated in the round of 16 of both tournaments. Haaland was part of a Manchester City that completed a hat trick of titles, including that of the Champions League.
So Messi’s performance in USA was taken into account by the voters.
By rejecting Saudi Arabia by MLSMessi dazzled a league that struggles to be relevant within the professional sport of USAvery dominated by NFL and the NBA.
The City coach, Pep Guardiolawas proclaimed the best coach in men’s football and the English Sarina Wiegman took the women’s award. Guardiola completed the hat trick of the Champions, Premier League and the FA Cup. Wiegman led the team that reached the final of the World.
The Argentinian Hugo Iniguez won the award for best fan. The follower of Columbus of San Fe She went viral with a video in which she gave her baby a bottle in the stands. Íñiguez received the award in person, accompanied by his son Titian, who burst into tears on stage.
Source: AP
