FIFA The Best Award winners (Courtesy: FIFA)

Lionel Messi was on Tuesday crowned The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2023, retaining the title he won in 2022. 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 FIFA World Cup 2022 winner and Manchester City FC and Norway international forward Erling Haaland locked together on 48 points, they were separated by the number of first-choice nominations received in votes from national team captains, as per the Rules of Allocation (article 12). France striker Kylian Mbappe finished third with 35 points.

Meanwhile, Aitana Bonmati was named The Best FIFA Women’s Player for the first time. The coveted award is richly deserved for this magnificent midfielder, who in 2023 inspired Spain to their maiden world title, and Barcelona to a domestic and European treble.

In topping the poll, which followed the same protocol as the men’s award but with women’s national team coaches and captains voting, Bonmatí succeeded her team-mate, 2022 winner Alexia Putellas, fending off competition from fellow finalists Linda Caicedo and Jennifer Hermoso.

Pep Guardiola was named The Best FIFA Men’s Coach 2023 after overseeing an incredible period of success at Manchester City. The Spaniard led the club to a historic Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and FA Cup treble in 2022/23.

Guardiola’s all-conquering team won a further two trophies in 2023, lifting the UEFA Super Cup before rounding off the calendar year in perfect style by triumphing at the FIFA Club World Cup.

The Best FIFA Football Awards ceremony also recognised the standout goal of the year as Brazilian midfielder Guilherme Madruga won the FIFA Puskás Award 2023 for his astonishing overhead kick.