A new edition of FIFA’s The Best awards is here, the awards that recognize the best footballers and coaches between August 8, 2021 and December 18, 2022. Three players are competing for the award in the men’s category: the French Karim Benzema (Real Madrid), Kylian Mbappé (PSG) and Argentine Lionel Messi (PSG). In the women’s: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona), the English Beth Mead (Arsenal) and the American Alex Morgan (San Diego Wave).
The finalists have been chosen by an international jury made up of coaches and captains of the men’s national teams, journalists and fans who have voted on the official FIFA website among the 14 initially nominated by a panel of experts.
All have made merits to receive recognition. Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema opts for the distinction after winning the last edition of the Ballon d’Or and signing a great season, in which the whites won the fourteenth Champions League with comebacks against PSG, Chelsea and Manchester City .
His compatriot Kylian Mbappé scored eight goals in the World Cup to win the tournament’s Golden Boot and became the first player in 56 years to score a hat trick in the World Cup final against Argentina. The PSG striker was also instrumental in winning the French league with 39 goals and 26 assists in 46 games.
The last of the shortlist: Leo Messi, who crowned the season with a historic title for his country and to complete his record in Qatar. He scored seven goals, the most of any World Cup he has participated in, including the double in the final, and provided three assists during the tournament. The 10 albiceleste was recognized with the Ballon d’Or for the best player.
Alexia Putellas opts for her second consecutive award. The Catalan repeated the nomination after captaining Barcelona in the great 2021-2022 season, in which she added thirty victories to win the League title and was the top scorer in the Women’s Champions League with 11 goals.
Also competing for The Best award is English Beth Mead, who won the Golden Boot of the 2022 Women’s Euro Cup and the Player of the Tournament award in which her team won the title in the final against Germany. Finally, the American Alex Morgan, who finished second in the voting for this FIFA award in 20219, was the top scorer in the National Women’s Soccer League in her debut season at the San Diego Wave, with 15 goals in just 17 matches.
In the coaching category, the nominees for best coach are Scaloni, Guardiola and Ancelotti. The first, for winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Carlo Ancelotti won the Spanish League, the Champions League and the European Super Cup in 2022 with Real Madrid. And Guariola guided Manchester City to the conquest of its fourth Premier in five seasons.
FIFA’s The Best awards, which recognize the best between August 8, 2021 and December 18, 2022, will be held this Monday, February 27 at 9:00 p.m. The gala can be followed live on FIFA TV and minute by minute on the La Vanguardia website.