Messi, Bonmati named FIFA The Best Men's and Women's Player of the Year

Lionel Messi of Argentina retained the FIFA men's player of the year award on Monday, defeating Manchester City's treble-winning Norwegian striker Erling Haaland and France's Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe.

Aitana Bonmati, Spain's 2023 World Cup winner, was voted the best female player of the year.

Messi, who won the men's award in 2022 after leading Argentina to World Cup victory, went on to win the Ligue 1 title with PSG alongside Mbappe before joining Major League Soccer team Inter Miami.

The 23-year-old scored the same number of points as Messi, but received fewer first-place votes from national team captains.

Pep Guardiola of City won the Best Men's Coach award. The Spaniard, who won the treble with City last season after doing the same for Barcelona in 2008-09, dedicated his award to fellow nominees Simone Inzaghi and Luciano Spalletti.

Inzaghi led Inter Milan to the 2023 Champions League final, where they were defeated 1-0 by City, and Spalletti won Serie A with Napoli, ending the club's 33-year wait for the title.

Sarina Wiegman won the Best Women's Coach award after leading England to the World Cup final, which they lost 1-0 to Spain.

Seven of her Lionesses made the Women's World XI, including Mary Earps, who received the Best Women's Goalkeeper Award.

Ederson, a Manchester City goalkeeper from Brazil, won the men's award.

SportsLigue