Unjust. Comical. Shocking. Scandalous. Choose the word you want, because they all go together. In London on Monday evening, most people expected Erling Braut Haaland to receive Fifa’s award as the world’s best footballer for 2023. It seems crazy for a winter country that is best known for brown cheese and skiers, but Jærbuen was the best last year. He had scored the goals. He had won the titles. But then the winner was … Lionel Messi. Even without Norwegian glasses it makes no sense. DISCUSSION: Lionel Messi was named the best footballer of the year in the prestigious Fifa award ceremony ahead of Erling Braut Haaland. Afterwards, John Obi Mikel got into a discussion with the reporters. Knockout All of the numbers and criteria say that Haaland should have won by a clear margin. Messi had received his tribute. In October, he won the Ballon d’Or, the highest individual award, which has been awarded by France Football magazine since 1956. The Ballon d’Or applies to the 2022-23 season, when Messi won the World Cup with Argentina. It was fully deserved. Congratulations, Leo. Messi had also won Fifa’s award for the calendar year 2022. Again because he won the World Cup with Argentina. Congratulations again. On Monday, Lionel Messi was named the player of the year in the world by the International Football Association (FIFA) during an awards gala in London. Just like during last year’s Gullballen award, he beat Erling Braut Haaland. Photo: FRANCK FIFE / AFP But Monday’s Fifa award covered the period 19 December 2022 to 19 August 2023, i.e. from the end of the World Cup to the start of the current season. So when the votes were to be cast, Messi was without the World Cup. Haaland presented four trophies, including the historic treble. It should have been a knockout. Syltynt Messi was lucky to be among the three finalists at all. In the first half of 2023, he won the French league and the French Super Cup with Paris Saint-Germain. This sounds good, but PSG are so much richer than their French rivals that the league is a foregone conclusion. They have won it 11 times in 13 years. The Supercup is one match between the winners of the league and the cup. The big goal was the Champions League, where PSG came out on top in the round of 16 with 3–0 on aggregate against Bayern Munich. Messi played both games. In total, Messi played 22 games for PSG in the period that applied for Fifa’s award. He recorded nine goals and six assists. It is thin. Then he packed his swimming shorts and went to Inter Miami. There he wreaked havoc in the Leagues Cup, a tournament between teams from the USA and Mexico that has existed for three years. In the final, they beat Nashville Soccer Club on penalties. It’s fun. But no one can say – without laughing – that Messi was the best player of the year. Four trophies Most people know what Haaland won in 2022-23, but here are the trophies for the record: Premier League. The FA Cup. The Champions League. So the triple. In August, he won the European Super Cup. Haaland became the top scorer in the league and the Champions League. For the period covered by Fifa’s award, he scored 34 goals in 41 games. Soccer stars Luka Modric and Alvaro Morata as well as several coaching profiles did not find a place for Erling Braut Haaland on their list of last year’s three best soccer players. Photo: Antonio Calanni / AP You could say that Messi adds more to his teams in the build-up game, with his dribbling and passing. Haaland is there “only” to score goals. He did not find the net in the semi-finals or final of the Champions League. He is lucky to play forward on the best team in the world. Fair enough. But Haaland’s season is still too strong. There is no debate here. Weird team So how on earth did Messi walk away with the award? Fifa’s award is voted for by four groups: Press, fans, national team captains and national team coaches. Here Haaland and Messi got 48 points each. Haaland received slightly more votes from the coaches and by far the most votes from the press. Messi received slightly more votes from the captains and by far the most votes from the fans. Since the captains count the most, Messi won. But it was the fans who were decisive, which would not have happened with the Ballon d’Or, where they cannot vote. Why did so many fans choose Messi? Maybe he’s just more popular. For 20 years, he has enchanted everyone who likes football. He is an icon, a legend, the best to ever play this sport. And so he can become player of the year for a period in which he scored nine goals in Europe. Messi obviously cannot control this himself. He voted for Haaland. Norway’s attacking star Erling Braut Haaland was beaten by Lionel Messi in the battle for the award as player of the year in 2023 chosen by Fifa. Photo: Lynne Sladky / AP Several other of Monday’s awards were strange. Ederson was the goalkeeper of the year, but did not make the team of the year. This year’s women’s team – voted for only by players – had only two names from the Spanish team that won the World Cup. Not all of these prices produce logical results. Weighs heavily So you can say that it is “just” a silly price. There are collective trophies that apply in football. The golden ball is bigger anyway. Which is true. But Fifa’s price weighs heavily. The list of previous winners gives us a number of giants, especially if you include its predecessor, the FIFA World Player of the Year, which was first awarded in 1991. You have Ronaldo, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldinho, Lothar Matthäus – the whole gallery. It would have been fun for Norwegian football if a guy from Jæren officially became the world’s best footballer. Instead, Haaland has now delivered one of the best club seasons of all time, without receiving either of the two accolades as player of the year. It must sting. Messi deserved the Ballon d’Or. Haaland deserved Fifa’s award. This was a robbery. Kayaking shocks the cross-country elite with a world record 00:37 The teammates hope Haaland will be back soon 00:47 Testing himself against 7th graders: – Do you need a defibrillator? 01:58 The City manager gets stars in his eyes after Bobb questions 00:25 Show more
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