Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Football, Declan Rice, Premier League, Arsenal, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland
Chris Byfield
Topics: Football, Declan Rice, Premier League, Arsenal, Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland
A League One player voted for Declan Rice to win the men’s player of the year award ahead of Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland at The Best FIFA Awards.
Inter Miami forward Messi won the men’s player of the year award ahead of Haaland and third placed Kylian Mbappe.
While the FIFA award traditionally covers a calendar year, the 2023 iteration recognised the most exceptional performer between December 19 2022 and August 20, 2023, with the Qatar World Cup was factored into last year’s vote.
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Messi netted nine goal for PSG as they won the French Ligue 1 title and claimed 10 goals in seven games as Inter Miami won the inaugural Leagues Cup.
He finished level on points in the voting with Haaland, who notched a Premier League record 36 goals last season and a club record 52 goals in all competitions as City claimed a Champions League, FA Cup and Premier League treble.
The two players were tied on points so the final decision went to national team captain votes. All four home nation skippers - Harry Kane (England), Andy Robertson (Scotland), Aaron Ramsey (Wales) and Jonny Evans (Northern Ireland) - voted for Messi.
One of the more surprising selections was Cambridge United’s Lyle Taylor, who captains the Montserrat national team.
The former Nottingham Forest, Charlton Athletic and AFC Wimbledon striker voted Arsenal and England star Rice for the men’s award, ahead of Messi in second and Haaland in third.
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Rice inspired West Ham to a historic Europa Conference League victory last term, before securing a £105million summer move to Arsenal.
Elsewhere, City manager Pep Guardiola was named best men’s coach, after guiding City to the treble last season.
Inter’s Simone Inzaghi, former Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou, now at Tottenham, ex-Napoli boss Luciano Spalletti and Barcelona's Xavi were also on the shortlist.
Guardiola said: "I want to share this trophy and moment with our owners at Manchester City.
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"On behalf of my backroom staff and myself, I want to say thank you so much to our players, that they have done for this club for eight years already together, without exception all of them.
"Thanks so much for this incredible journey because they don't know what it means every morning to go there and live with them, winning or losing it doesn't matter - living with them has been incredible."