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Lionel Messi
Photo: ANNE-CHRISTINE POUJOULAT / AFP
A good two months after the World Cup victory, Argentina's superstar was named FIFA's best footballer of the year 2022.
The 35-year-old player from Paris Saint-Germain prevailed in the final of the world association's The Best Gala against his French club colleague Mbappé and his compatriot Karim Benzema.
"It's a special award and a great honor," said Messi.
It was Messi's seventh FIFA World Player award since 2009 - possibly the last of his extraordinary career.
In the women's competition, Spain's Alexia Putellas from FC Barcelona won again, although she missed the European Championship in the summer due to a cruciate ligament rupture.
The German European Championship finalists were absent from the individual awards ceremony on stage, with the exception of Ann-Kathrin Berger from Chelsea FC, who had to give way to English European champion Mary Earps in the category of best goalkeeper.
After all, Lena Oberdorf was called up to the world eleven.
The World Cup was also the mood barometer in the other important men's price categories.
Argentina's keeper Emiliano Martinez was the best goalkeeper.
Argentina's head coach Lionel Scaloni prevailed among the coaches.
This also ended the German series: Jürgen Klopp (2019 and 2020) and Thomas Tuchel (2021) had been honored for their successes with Liverpool FC and Chelsea FC in recent years.
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aeh/dpa