Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Lionel Messi have been revealed as the three finalists for The Best FIFA Men's Player Award 2023.
The award acknowledges the most exceptional performers in the men’s game between 19th December 2022 and 20th August 2023. The distinguished winner will be announced at a ceremony in London on 15th January 2024.
Initially, 12 players were nominated for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award by a panel of experts. From this list, an international jury, consisting of men’s national team coaches, captains, football journalists, and fans who voted on FIFA’s official website, selected the three finalists.
Erling Haaland
Manchester City's prolific striker proved relentless, causing havoc for defenders in both domestic and European competitions, contributing to Pep Guardiola's side securing their first treble by clinching the UEFA Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup trophies.
Throughout 33 games in these competitions during the qualifying period, he scored 28 times, showcasing a blend of speed, strength, and finishing prowess that outmatched the world's top defenders. His impressive goal tally and composed style are magnified by the fact that the Norwegian forward turned 23 only in July 2023.
Aside from team accomplishments, Haaland garnered numerous individual awards, including the European Golden Shoe, the English Premier League Golden Boot, and the exceptional feat of winning both the English Premier League Player and Young Player of the season.
Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe resumed his stellar form from the FIFA World Cup 2022™ final upon his return to domestic play in late December 2022. He netted from the penalty spot in the 90th minute, aiding Paris Saint-Germain's triumph over Strasbourg in Ligue 1.
The agile French forward ensured his team clinched their eighth domestic title in 11 years with his consistent goal-scoring prowess during the qualifying period for The Best 2023. He scored 17 times in the final 20 league games, including an astonishing streak of nine goals in six matches.
These remarkable performances earned Mbappe the title of Ligue 1 Player of the Year and the Ligue 1 top scorer, showcasing his resilience following the disappointment of his World Cup final hat-trick ending in defeat.
Lionel Messi
Messi, the recipient of The Best Men's Player award in 2022, returned after leading Argentina to triumph in Qatar to aid PSG in securing their latest Ligue 1 title, his second in France. He was also named in the Ligue 1 team of the season and finished the campaign leading the division’s assists chart.
In July, the diminutive maestro, who has surpassed 100 goals for his country and is the all-time leading scorer in the top five European leagues, embraced a new challenge by crossing the Atlantic to join Inter Miami. His transfer was greeted with immense celebration and fanfare befitting one of football's all-time legends.
How The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award finalists were determined
1- Nominated national team captains could not vote for themselves.
2- Selections from the four voting groups – coaches, captains, journalists, and fans – each counted for 25 per cent of the total vote, irrespective of the number of voters from each group.
3- The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award will be presented to the individual with the most points.
4- If finalists are tied on points, the award will be bestowed on the individual who has received the most first-choice selections.
5- The voting procedure for The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award is supervised by independent observers. Results will be published in full on FIFA.com following the awards ceremony on 15 January 2024.
