FIFA reveals this Monday, in a ceremony in Paris, the winners of The Best. Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi compete for the best player in the world award. Brazil has only one representative in all categories: Richarlison, who is running for the Puskás.
Unlike the Ballon d’Or, by France Football magazine, The Best considers the athlete’s performance during the European season, in this case, from August 8, 2021 to December 18, 2022, the date of the Qatar World Cup final . The ceremony takes place again in person after two years the event due to health measures arising from the covid pandemic.
This is the seventh edition of the award organized by FIFA, which created it after the end of the partnership with France Football, which annually awards the Ballon d’Or. Between 2010 and 2015 the awards were unified.
Coaches and captains from all 211 FIFA-affiliated teams, as well as specialized journalists from each of these countries, voted between January 12th and February 3rd to choose the best player in the world.
Brazil has a representative among the finalists in only one category. With his volley in the 2-0 victory for the Brazilian team over Serbia in the World Cup in Qatar, Richarlison competes for the Puskas, a trophy given to the most beautiful goal.
CUP MAKES MESSI FAVORITE
The inclusion of the World Cup in the vote’s review period saw Lionel Messi emerge as the favorite to win the award. The Argentine star, in his fifth participation in World Cups, finally led Argentina to glory in Qatar and was elected the star of the World Cup. Seven goals and three assists left his feet in the Alviceleste tri campaign.
At PSG, Messi was not brilliant, but he contributed to the titles of the French Championship 2021/22 and the French Super Cup 2022. In the period covered by the award, the Argentine scored 45 goals, gave 34 assists in 74 games and won four titles. He has already won the award six times, in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019.
THE TOP GUNNER
Mbappé entered the dispute for his goals in profusion for Paris Saint-Germain, but, above all, like Messi, for the brilliant displays in Qatar. Even though he didn’t win the cup, the Frenchman was voted the second best player in the World Cup, in which he finished as top scorer, with eight goals.
Of the trio, he is the one who most went to the nets. Between August 8, 2021 and December 18, 2022, the France and PSG star scored 77 goals in 84 games, in addition to providing 33 assists. The 24-year-old striker won two cups in the period: the French Championship and the League of Nations. It should be remembered that he did not participate in the Super Cup won by the Paris team because he was suspended.
Benzema’s trump card to win the prize is his role in the Champions League. It was largely thanks to him that Real Madrid became European champions for the 14th time. The Frenchman scored an impressive 15 goals in 14 matches during the victorious campaign.
His achievements for Real Madrid earned the 35-year-old striker the Ballon d’Or from France Football magazine, which takes into account each season of European football. Benzema was injured before France’s debut and missed the Qatar World Cup. In the analysis period considered by FIFA The Best, Benzema scored 57 goals and provided 18 assists in 69 matches. He won four titles: in addition to the Champions League, he won the Spanish Championship, the UEFA Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup.
