Lionel Messi achieved his second The Best award for the best of the year 2022, following beating Karim Benzema and his teammate Kylian Mbappé in the vote. FIFA published the list with all the elections of the captains of the teams (25%), the national selectors (25%), a journalistic representative per federation (25%) and the public (25%).
Voters had to give five, three and one point to the players they considered, without restriction of candidates as in the Ballon d’Or. Without a doubt, the order and the names chosen did not go unnoticed by anyone.
The winner Messi has opted for his teammate and friend Neymar, ahead of his teammate Mbappé and Benzema. Thiago Silva also gave his first wishes to his compatriot Neymar. Modric gave his votes to Benzema, Messi and Mbappé, in that order. Salah dared to bet on Vinicius, for him, The Best: Vinicius, De Bruyne and Achraf Hakimi.
He was not the only one who omitted the PSG attacker. For example, Dominik Szboszla, captain of Hungary, voted for Erling Haaland as the head of his shortlist, along with Karim Benzema and Mbappé. The same path was followed by the central marker Pepe, from Portugal, who opted for “Kiki”, Modric and Benzema.
Hugo Lloris, goalkeeper and former captain of France, did vote for Messi, although as third, behind his forward compatriots. Virgil van Dijk, leader of the Netherlands, did not take into account the quarterfinal battle in Qatar: he selected it first.
But there was a player who had to go out to clarify his votes. David Alaba, captain of the Austrian team, explained the votes for The Best award to Argentine Lionel Messi as the best player of 2022, ahead of his Real Madrid teammate Karim Benzema, revealing that the votes are not only his and represent his entire selection.
”Regarding the FIFA The Best Award: The Austrian national team votes for this award as a team, not me alone. Everyone on the team council can vote and this is how it is decided, ”Alaba explained on his social networks.
The Madrid defender expressed his admiration for his teammate Benzema. “Everyone knows, especially Karim, how much I admire him and his performances. For me, he is the best striker in the world and he continues to be that way. Without a doubt, ”he added to close an open debate following the gala that he does not want to be transferred to the Real Madrid locker room.
The most resonant votes of the male award
- Luis de la Fuente: Julián Álvarez, Jude Bellingham, Luka Modric.
- Messi: Neymar, Mbappe, Benzema.
- He wins: Messi, Benzema, Mbappe.
- Thiago Silva: Neymar, Messi, Benzema.
- Modric: Benzema, Messi, Mbappe.
- Salah: Vinicius, De Bruyne, Achraf.
- Cox (Guyana): Bellingham, Messi, Mbappe.
- Kuk Chol Jang (Korea del Norte): Modric, Messi, Haaland.
- Hugo Lloris: Mbappe, Benzema, Messi.
- Van Dijk: Messi, Salah, De Bruyne.
- Saiss (Marruecos): Achraf, Benzema, Mbappe.
- Odegaard: Messi, Haaland, Mbappé.
- Lewandowski: Messi, Mbappe Modric.
- Busquets: Messi, Lewandowski, Benzema.
- Diego Godin: Messi, Mbappe, Modric.
- Mario Rivera (Brunei Darussalam): Modric, Mbappe, Messi.
- Mogomotsi Mpote (Botswana): Julian Alvarez, Achraf, Mbappe.
- Scaloni: Messi, Julian Alvarez, Modric.
- Raoul Savoy (Central African Republic): Bellingham, Haaland, Benzema.
- Southgate: Messi, Modric, Mbappe.
- Deschamps: Mbappé, Benzema, Messi.
- Roberto Martinez: Messi, De Bruyne, Mbappe.
- Emmanuel Gustave (journalist from Cameroon): Vinicius, Benzema, Bellingham.
- Jan Starker (Liechtenstein journalist): Julián Álvarez, Haaland, Messi.
- Crofton Utukana (Solomon Islands journalist): Vinicius, Neymar, Haaland.
