Last updated: 15.01.2024, 22:07
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Footballer of the Year again: Argentine Lionel Messi. © Ryan Sun/AP/dpa
It is not Erling Haaland who is the guarantor of the world, but Lionel Messi. Pep Guardiola is also celebrating. Franz Beckenbauer is remembered.
London - Lionel Messi again and again: The Argentine World Cup winner has been voted World Player of the Year despite his farewell to the big sports stage.
The 36-year-old was honoured in absentia in London, surprisingly beating goalkeeper Erling Haaland (23) of treble winners Manchester City and Kylian Mbappé (25) of Paris Saint-Germain. Messi, who moved to Inter Miami in the USA in the summer, was able to celebrate his eighth FIFA award - at the Hammersmith Apollo there was rather restrained applause.
German professionals did not play a role in the festive gala. Germany captain Ilkay Gündogan, Marc-André ter Stegen and Ann-Kathrin Berger had made it onto the shortlist in the categories of best player, best goalkeeper and best goalkeeper, but did not make it to the final selection.
Between the award ceremonies, the gala was also dominated by Franz Beckenbauer for a moment. "Franz was by far the best and most important player in the history of German football," said long-time companion Paul Breitner in the hall, visibly moved. "He was an extraordinary person." It has been his "great honour and pleasure" to play in a team with Beckenbauer. The two other icons who died in the recent past, the Englishman Sir Bobby Charlton and the Brazilian Mário Zagallo, were also commemorated.
Haaland would have deserved the award, officially dubbed "The Best", after his outstanding year with City. The former Dortmund player scored 44 goals in 54 games across all competitions - and won not only the treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup, but also the UEFA Super Cup and Club World Cup.
Nevertheless, it was Messi again, which calls into question the sporting value of the award, which has been in competition with the Ballon d'Or again for a few years now. Messi had won this last year because the World Cup title in Qatar 2022 was also part of the assessment period. At club level, however, the 36-year-old has long since arrived on the periphery of world football. Coaches, players, journalists - and the fans, the majority of whom still carry Messi in their hearts - are eligible to vote.
Guardiola won the election for the first time in 2011, when he was still coach of FC Barcelona. "Thank you so much," said the former FC Bayern coach on stage. "I want to share this trophy with Simone and Luciano. I want to share this trophy with Manchester." At the end of a speech, the former professional also thanked his family, who had accompanied him to the English metropolis.
Pep Guardiola, coach of Manchester City, accepts the award for the best men's coach. © Kirsty Wigglesworth/AP/dpa
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Wiegman had already won the FIFA election in 2017, 2020 and 2022. "Some of you are probably thinking, 'There she is again.' I'm sorry about that," said the good-humoured Dutchwoman. Dpa