Argentina’s footballing glory was on full display at FIFA’s ‘The Best’ awards ceremony, where the Albiceleste’s World Cup triumph in Qatar last December was followed by a star turn for the team. Lionel Messi, Lionel Scaloni, and Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martinez all won the awards for best player, best coach, and best goalkeeper, respectively. The award for the best fans in the world was also collected by Carlos ‘El Tula’ Pascual, a popular hincha.
What is The Best FIFA Football Awards?
The Best FIFA Football Awards is an annual event that recognizes the best performers in men’s and women’s football over the past year. The awards ceremony celebrates the achievements of players, coaches, and teams, and is voted for by a diverse panel that includes national team coaches and captains, journalists, and fans.
The ceremony features various categories, including the best male and female player, coach, and goalkeeper, as well as the Puskas Award for the best goal of the year. The event attracts worldwide attention and is a prestigious honor for those who are recognized for their contributions to the sport.
Major Awardees
Messi, who beat Kylian Mbappé and Karim Benzema, was visibly nervous as he collected his award, acknowledging that winning the World Cup was the most beautiful thing that has happened in his career. This is the third time Messi has won the award, following on from 2009 and 2019, surpassing FC Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski, the winner of the two previous editions.
Scaloni, who had confirmed earlier that he had signed a new contract to remain as Albiceleste coach until 2026, saw off competition from Italy’s Carlo Ancelotti and Spain’s Pep Guardiola. Martinez, who had already been voted the best goalkeeper at the World Cup, remembered his “idols” as he picked up the award.
Spain’s Alexia Putellas retained the women’s award, while England’s European Championship-winning striker Beth Mead and United States star Alex Morgan were runners-up. England’s European Championship victory helped their Dutch manager Sarina Wiegman win the prize for best women’s coach, while Mary Earps was named the women’s goalkeeper of the year.
Polish amputee player Marcin Oleksy took the Puskas Award for best goal, named after Hungary’s great Ferenc Puskas.
Nominees
Before the winners were announced, there were plenty of prominent names featured in the potential winner list.
For the 2022 edition, Karim Benzema, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe were nominated for The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2022.
Meanwhile, the list of The Best FIFA Women’s Player 2022 nominees included Beth Mead, Alex Morgan, and Putellas.
Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola, and Lionel Scaloni competed for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach 2022, with Sonia Bompastor, Pia Sundhage, and Sarina Wiegman nominated for The Best FIFA Women’s Coach 2022 award.
It was a night of celebration for Argentina, who proved that their passion for football and their team can lead to great victories on the world stage. The Albiceleste’s World Cup win will remain in the memories of their fans for a lifetime, and the team’s performance at ‘The Best’ awards ceremony was a fitting tribute to their incredible achievement.
