Eight weeks after record Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi led Argentina to glory at the World Cup in Qatar, the international governing body of the soccer associations (FIFA) has released a list of three players in contention for the prestigious award of best male player. Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) superstars Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema were announced Friday as the three nominees for the 2022 FIFA Best Male Player Award.
FIFA will name the winner of the best men’s player award Feb. 27 at a ceremony in Paris. The famous trophy will be awarded to Benzema, Messi or Mbappe for the most outstanding performance in men’s soccer between August 8, 2021 and December 18, 2022. While PSG stars Messi and Mbappe topped the World Cup finals in December, Real Madrid forward Benzema led the La Liga team to a record 14th European title in the previous UEFA Champions League season.
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Earlier, an esteemed jury selected 14 players for the FIFA Best Player in Men award. Argentina captain Messi, French forward Mbappe and Ballon d’Or winner Benzmaa were the remaining three finalists selected by an international jury of men’s national team coaches, captains of the men’s national teams, soccer journalists and fans who cast their votes on the official FIFA website.
Benzema, Mbappe or Messi – who will win the FIFA Men’s Player of the Year award?
Although Benzema won the Ballon d’Or after an impressive season with Real Madrid last year, he is not the absolute favorite to win the famous FIFA trophy in Paris. The 35-year-old missed the 2022 World Cup due to injury. In Benzema’s absence, PSG striker Mbappe led the French attack and led Les Bleus to the World Cup final. Mbappe scored eight goals and won the Golden Boot at the World Cup in Qatar. However, in the thrilling final of the FIFA World Cup 2022, France, in which Mbappe played, was defeated by Messi’s Argentina. Messi, who is the only player to score at the World Cup in his teens, twenties and thirties, was awarded the Ballon d’Or at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
