Lionel Messi, the star forward for Inter Miami, was awarded The Best FIFA Men’s Player for the second straight year on January 15, 2024. The FIFA World Cup winner edged out Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe for the top spot on this occasion. Aitana Bonmatí was named Best FIFA Women’s Player after winning the Ballon d’Or award.
The FIFA Best Player award is an annual honour granted by football’s governing body that has existed since 2016. The award was previously known as the FIFA World Player of the Year and was combined with the Ballon d’Or. However, since 2016, the two have existed as separate entities.
Unlike the Ballon d’Or, fans have an important role in determining who receives the Best FIFA Football Award. The outcomes are decided by voting on the following parameters:
- Current national team coaches and captains for all teams.
- Each national team’s current captain.
- Each territory has one expert journalist.
- Fans registered at FIFA.com.
Cristiano Ronaldo won the Best FIFA Men’s Player award for the first time, while Carli Lloyd of the United States was named the Best FIFA Women’s Player in 2016.
Apart from that, goalkeepers earn special recognition in the form of The Best FIFA Goalkeeper. It began in 2017 in the men’s division, with the first Best FIFA Women’s Keeper award presented in 2019.
The Best FIFA Football Coach is the other category included in these awards. Claudio Ranieri, the former Leicester City manager, received the award for the first time in 2016, while current Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel earned it for 2021.
Besides the individual awards, the organising body names a FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11 in both men’s and women’s divisions.
Lionel Messi holds the record for the most FIFA Best Player Award winners. Messi has won the award three times.
The Winners:
- The Best FIFA Men’s Player: Lionel Messi
- The Best FIFA Women’s Player: Aitana Bonmati
- The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper: Ederson
- The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper: Mary Earps
- The Best FIFA Men’s Coach: Pep Guardiola
- The Best FIFA Women’s Coach: Sarina Wiegman
- The FIFA Puskás Award: Guilherme Madruga
- The FIFA Special Award: Marta
- The FIFA Fair Play Award: Brazil men’s national team
- The FIFA Fan Award: Hugo Daniel “Toto” Iniguez
List Of All Best FIFA Men’s Player Winners:
| Year | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid and Portugal |
| 2017 | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid and Portugal |
| 2018 | Luka Modric | Real Madrid and Croatia |
| 2019 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona and Argentina |
| 2020 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich and Poland |
| 2021 | Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich and Poland |
| 2022 | Lionel Messi | Paris Saint-Germain and Argentina |
| 2023 | Lionel Messi | Inter Miami and Argentina |