Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe or Karim Benzema?
Who will win FIFA’s The Best Men’s Player award?
FIFA’s award ceremony will take place on February 27 and the football organisation will hand out various gongs on the night.
They are:
- The Best FIFA Women’s Player
- The Best FIFA Men’s Player
- The Best FIFA Women’s Coach
- The Best FIFA Men’s Coach
- The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper
- The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper
- FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11
- FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11
- FIFA Fair Play Award
- FIFA Puskás Award (awarded for the best goal of the year)
- FIFA Fan Award
However, it’s the Best FIFA Men’s Player award that is arguably the most prestigious accolade
This year, the award will take the entirety of last season into account, as well as what has happened so far this campaign. Therefore, the time period is August 8 2021 – 18 December 2022.
Who will win: Benzema, Messi or Mbappe?
So, who has had the better time of it during that period out of Benzema, Messi and Mbappe?
Well, fortunately for us, a graphic has emerged that breaks down the stats of each player.
It looks at a number of key metrics and gives the stats of the three aforementioned players. Let’s take a look at who comes out on top:
Games: Mbappe (83)Goals: Mbappe (77)Assists: Messi (34)Goals per game: Mbappe (0.93)Chances Created: Messi (176)Big chances created: Messi (51)Successful dribbles: Mbappe (250)xG: Mbappe (61.51)xA: Messi (27.51)Best Rating of Match: Messi (26)
The graphic also looks at honours which we’re giving Messi the edge due to his World Cup victory.
So, how does that work out then?
Poor old Benzema doesn’t pick up a single point while Messi gains six and Mbappe five.
Benzema: 0Messi: 6Mbappe: 5
Will Messi win FIFA’s The Best Award?
Having led Argentina to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, picking up the Golden Ball for the best player during the tournament in the meantime, Messi is surely the favourite for the award next month.
It’s a testament to the incredible 2022/23 campaign he’s had so far.
FIFA’s award takes into account the entire 21/22 season and Messi, by his own insane standards, had a debut season to forget at Paris Saint-Germain.
Messi scored just 11 goals in all competitions as he struggled to settle at the Parc des Princes.
However, what he’s achieved in 2022 is remarkable.
He’s already exceeded his goal tally last season with 12 goals to his name this time around, while that World Cup victory may well have cemented his claim as the GOAT.
Having only claimed FIFA’s The Best award once (in 2019), Messi will be hoping to draw level with Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski who have claimed it on two occasions.
If he does, he’ll be a very worthy winner indeed.
Source: givemesport
