FIFA delivered this Monday in Paris the premios The Best 2022which rewarded the best players, goalkeepers and coaches of the year in men’s and women’s football. Alexia Putellas y Leo Messi they were the big winners of a gala turned into an Argentine festival, given the accumulation of prizes from the world champion team.
The awards are given by vote of the captains and selectors from all the countries of the world, as well as a representative journalist from each of them. FIFA makes the votes public, which hide some curiosities.
Louis of the Source
The new national coach, after the dismissal of Luis Enrique after the World Cup in Qatar, made his debut in these tasks ahead of the gala this Monday. And he did not leave anyone indifferent with his votes. The man from La Rioja opted for Argentine Julián Álvarez as the best soccer player of the yearcoinciding in his appreciation with the captain of Gabon, the coach of Botswana and the representative of the journalists of Liechtenstein.
As second best footballer chose the Englishman Jude Bellinghamwhile Luke Modric completed his amazing votein which none of the three finalists appear: Messi, Mbappé and Benzema.
Sergio Busquets
The captain of the Spanish team has not opted for any Real Madrid player as his first option… but Real Madrid wins their second votes. Benzema, Ancelotti y Courtois They appear in the voting for the also captain of FC Barcelona, behind the winners Messi, Scaloni and Dibu Martínez.
Didier Deschamps
Despite the fact that they don’t exactly have a good relationship, as became clear after the World Cup in Qatar, the French coach included Karim Benzema in his votes for best footballer of the year. He did it, yes, in second position, behind Kylian Mbappé. A double vote in which he coincided with the captain of the world runner-up, Hugo Lloris, who chose his two teammates in the same position.
david praises
It was striking that the Real Madrid central defender did not choose his teammate Benzema in first position (he did so in second), conceding his main vote for Messi. The footballer himself has explained that, although the vote corresponds to him as captain, the decision has been made collectively within the Austrian team. Ancelotti and Courtois, on the other hand, did receive their votes in the respective categories.
Leo Messi
Nothing prevented the winner from voting for himself, or giving his vote to one of his compatriots… but he didn’t. The captain of Argentina chose his partner and friend Neymar as the best footballer of the year, ahead of the also PSG player Mbappé and Benzema. In the rest of the categories he did sweep home, choosing Dibu Martínez and Scaloni… just ahead of Guardiola.
Cristiano Ronaldo
The captain of Portugal and current Saudi Al Nassr player voted for… nobody. Because he didn’t vote. The person in charge of representing the Portuguese team in the voting was Pepe, a former teammate at Real Madrid… who did not vote for him. The central veteran opted for Mbappé, Modric and Benzema. In fact, not one of the participants in the vote opted for Cristiano Ronaldo. Neither in first nor in second nor in third position.
Lewandowski, Modric, Oblak…
Robert Lewandowski chose Messi, Mbappé and Modric. The Croatian midfielder for Real Madrid opted for Benzema, Messi and Mbappé. Thiago Silva chose his compatriot Neymar (as his coach did) ahead of Messi and Benzema. The Slovenian Jan Oblak opted for Messi, Mbappé and Benzema. Scaloni selected Messi and Julián Álvarez ahead of Modric.
