The 2022 World Cup may be part of the past, but Lionel Messi continues to feel the impact of his fantastic performance. On Monday, February 27, the Argentine superstar won The Best FIFA Men's Player award for the second time in his career.
In an unforgettable gala for Argentine soccer, Messi was distinguished along with fellow countrymen Lionel Scaloni (Best Coach of the Year) and Emiliano Martinez (Best Goalkeeper of the Year).
The Paris Saint-Germain playmaker had the edge over French stars Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe, who were also on the shortlist. It wasn't exactly a surprise, since Messi had a brilliant year that ended in the best possible way.
2022: The perfect year for Lionel Messi
At 35, Messi finally had a long-awaited date with destiny. By leading Argentina to their third FIFA World Cup title, the Rosario-born star ended a long wait for the elusive trophy. And he did it in great fashion.
Defying Father Time like no other athlete did before, the PSG star completely stole the show at Qatar 2022. Messi became the first player to score in every knockout round game, finishing the tournament with seven goals and three assists.
Though winning the trophy was the only thing that mattered for him, Messi's outstanding level also earned him the World Cup Golden Ball. A couple of months later, the World Cup effect is still a thing as now it earned him his second The Best award.
