Featured Image Credit: Getty Images
Topics: Iker Casillas, Lionel Messi, Argentina, Erling Haaland, Spain, Real Madrid
Jack Kenmare
Topics: Iker Casillas, Lionel Messi, Argentina, Erling Haaland, Spain, Real Madrid
Iker Casillas has questioned the 'fairness' of the Best FIFA Football Awards after Lionel Messi beat Erling Haaland to win the Best FIFA Men's Player of the Year.
The former Real Madrid and Spain goalkeeper, who once described Messi as the greatest of all time, watched on as the Argentine was recognised for his efforts between December 19, 2022 and August 20, 2023
After receiving the same amount of votes [48] as record-breaker Haaland, Messi came out victorious as he received more first-place nominations from national team captains.
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Harry Kane, Andy Robertson, Aaron Ramsey and Jonny Evans all voted for the Inter Miami forward.
Messi's former Barcelona teammate Thierry Henry would accept Messi’s award for the FIFA Best Men’s Player on the Argentine's behalf, before aiming a not-so-subtle dig at Spurs.
Hours after Messi's latest win, a less than impressed Iker Casillas appeared to aim a dig at the FIFA Best awards.
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Taking to X, formerly known as Twitter, the Spaniard wrote: “You create some nice prizes and you are taking them away by not doing things fairly. 'The Smile' more like. Anyway, good night!”
FIFA have since released the full list of votes, with Messi giving his number one spot to Haaland, who broke the Premier League record for most goals scored in a single season.
As well as scoring 36 goals in the league, the 23-year-old became the fastest player to hit 28 goals in the Champions League.
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Back in October, City manager Pep Guardiola backed Haaland to win the Ballon d'Or before Messi lifted his eighth golden ball.
"The Ballon d'Or has to be two sections," the Spaniard said. "One for Messi, and after look for the others. So, Haaland should win - yes. We won the treble and he scored 50 million goals."
Guardiola added: "The worst season of Messi is the best for the rest.”
Messi, meanwhile, gave former Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe his second-place vote in the FIFA Best standings, while World Cup winner Julian Alvarez earned third.