Lionel Messi has been named the 2022 Best FIFA Men’s Player, while Alexia Putellas has won the Best FIFA Women’s Player.
Messi beat out fellow finalists Kylian Mbappé and Karim Benzema, while Putellas won the award over Alex Morgan and Beth Mead. It was the second straight year that the Barcelona and Spain midfielder won the award.
For Messi, it was the second time he’s won Best FIFA Men’s Player after also winning in 2019. The award was formerly known as the FIFA World Player of the Year, and was then the FIFA Ballon d’Or from 2010 to 2015.
In 2016, France Football regained control of the Ballon d’Or, which Messi has won a record seven times.
Messi was expected to win the prize after leading Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, winning the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
Putellas led Barcelona to a domestic treble in 2021-22, before tearing her ACL on the eve of Spain’s Euro 2022 campaign.
The Best FIFA Men’s Player, Best FIFA Men’s Coach and Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper were awarded for performances between August 8, 2021 and December 18, 2022.
For the same awards on the women’s side, the period was August 7, 2021 to July 31, 2022.
2022 FIFA Best winners
The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper: Mary Earps, Manchester United and England
The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martínez, Aston Villa and Argentina
The Best FIFA Women’s Coach: Sarina Wiegman, England
The Best FIFA Men’s Coach: Lionel Scaloni, Argentina
FIFA Puskás Award: Marcin Oleksy, Warta Poznań
FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11: Thibaut Courtois, Achraf Hakimi, João Cancelo, Virgil van Dijk, Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modrić, Casemiro, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Karim Benzema
FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11: Christiane Endler, Lucy Bronze, Mapi León, Leah Williamson, Wendie Renard, Alexia Putellas, Keira Walsh, Lena Oberdorf, Alex Morgan, Sam Kerr, Beth Mead
Best FIFA Men’s Player: Lionel Messi
Best FIFA Women’s Player: Alexia Putellas
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