2024-01-15 23:40:51
Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup… The Norwegian from Manchester City, Erling Haaland, 23, would not have stolen the “Fifa The Best” trophy for best player of the year 2023, which was awarded this Monday evening in London.
And yet, it was Lionel Messi who was rewarded ahead of Kylian Mbappé and Haaland, in the absence of the three star players at the Eventim Apollo, a theater in the British capital.
Haaland’s victory was all the more expected as, unlike the 2023 Ballon d’Or, already won in October by Messi, the votes did not take into account the 2022 World Cup. Also Messi and Mbappé, both finalists , they seemed penalized compared to Haaland, deprived of the World Cup with Norway.
But so decided the jury made up of captains, selectors of the national teams, journalists but also supporters from all over the world, who could vote by registering on the Fifa website, and had to consider the performances achieved between the ‘after the Men’s World Cup (December 19, 2022) and the Women’s World Cup final, August 20, 2023.
Legend of the Arsenal Gunners, Thierry Henry was chosen to co-host the evening with British journalist Reshmin Chowdhury. Many football stars were present in the English capital for the occasion, such as Roberto Carlos, Claude Makelele, Cafu, Michael Ballack, Arsène Wenger, Patrick Kluivert, Marcel Desailly, the Brazilian Ronaldo… In the absence of the Argentinian world champion, It was Henry who was responsible for taking the Trophy from the Inter Miami player.
At the start of the evening, Pep Guardiola, the Citizens coach, received The Best Trophy for best coach 2023. Then, Ederson, the goalkeeper of Manchester City and Brazil was elected best THE Best goalkeeper of the past year, ahead of the Moroccan Bono (Seville) and the Belgian Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid).
Among the women, unsurprisingly, the Spaniard Aitana Bonmati, competing against her compatriot Jennifer Hermoso and the Colombian Linda Caicedo, was rewarded. Before celebrating her 26th birthday on Thursday, the elegant FC Barcelona midfielder went to London escorted by her prestigious awards: the Ballon d’Or, best UEFA player of the year, the Champions League and the World Cup, two competitions in which she was named best player.
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