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Lionel Messi has been named among the three finalists for the 2023 Best FIFA Men's Player Award. It is one of the most prestigious individual prizes in football along with the Ballon d'Or.
Messi bagged a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or in late October. He pipped Erling Haaland to the award and after his exploits at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, everyone saw it coming.
Messi, Mbappe and Haaland are the finalists and the award. But just because he won the 2023 Ballon d'Or, Messi should not be considered the favourite to win the 2023 Best FIFA Men's Player Award.
The parameters for both the awards are different and that could tilt the scale in favour of Mbappe and Haaland. Without further ado, let's take a look at four reasons why Messi does not deserve to win The Best FIFA Men's Player Award.
#4 The award does not consider performances from the 2022 FIFA World Cup
The 2023 Best FIFA Men's Player Award will take into consideration the performances of players between December 19, 2022 and August 20, 2023. Messi's exploits at the 2022 FIFA World Cup were what propelled him to Ballon d'Or glory earlier this year
However, the 2022 FIFA World Cup was actually considered for last year's version of the Best FIFA Men's Player Award and Messi won it as well.
As such, Messi cannot be considered the favourite to win the award because his major achievement from the 2022-23 season won't be a factor here.
#3 Mbappe was more of a key performer for PSG and had a better season
Kylian Mbappe's 2022-23 season was exceptional at an individual level. After his Golden Ball-winning heroics for France at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Mbappe returned to domestic action with Paris Saint-Germain and did a solid job for them.
He finished the season as the top scorer in the league as PSG won the Ligue 1 title. The Frenchman was arguably more of a key player for the Parisians than Messi, scoring 41 goals and providing 10 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions.
Messi, meanwhile, scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists and it'd be disappointing if he pipped Mbappe to the Best FIFA Men's Player Award.
#2 Erling Haaland won the continental treble with Manchester City
A section of football fans believe that Erling Haaland should have beaten Messi to the 2023 Ballon d'Or. There's a fair argument to be made there. Haaland did about as well as he could have done in his quest for football's most prestigious prize.
He scored 52 goals and provided nine assists and was the X-factor for City as they stacked up the silverware last term. With Messi's World Cup win out of the equation, it would be absolutely criminal if he still pipped Haaland to the Best FIFA Men's Player Award.
#1 Messi only won the Ligue 1 title domestically
This applies to both Messi and Mbappe. Their achievements during the period that is taken into consideration for the 2023 FIFA Best Men's Player Award pale in comparison to that of Haaland's. The Norwegian marksman had a phenomenal campaign on the domestic front with Manchester City.
His exploits were crucial to City winning the Premier League, the Champions League title and the FA Cup. Being arguably the most important player for a treble-winning side should prove to be enough for Haaland as far as winning the 2023 FIFA Best Men's Player Award is concerned.
Messi and Mbappe won the Ligue 1 title with PSG. The Parisians are way stronger than any other side in the French top flight and they are expected to win that title every year.
They failed to produce anything of note in the Champions League while Haaland finished the 2022-23 season as the top scorer in Europe's elite competition as well.
