Lionel Messi, adorned with numerous accolades following his World Cup triumph in Qatar, clinched the recent Ballon d'Or award as well, solidifying his status as the Argentine captain par excellence. However, in a surprising turn of events, Arling Haaland has emerged victorious as the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) bestowed upon him the coveted title of the best footballer of the year.
Erling Haaland Surpasses Messi to Claim Footballer of the Year Title
Lionel Messi, adorned with numerous accolades following his World Cup triumph in Qatar, clinched the recent Ballon d'Or award as well, solidifying his status as the Argentine captain par excellence. However, in a surprising turn of events, Arling Haaland has emerged victorious as the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) bestowed upon him the coveted title of the best footballer of the year.
In the final IFFHS Footballer of the Year 2023 rankings released on Tuesday (Dec 26), Messi secured the third position. Haaland, having clinched the Player of the Year award, outshone both Messi and French luminary Kylian Mbappe. Haaland's remarkable year includes triumphs in the UEFA Champions League, English Premier League, FA Cup, UEFA Super Cup, and FIFA Club World Cup with Manchester City. Scoring an impressive 50 goals in 60 matches throughout the year, Haaland made history as the first Norwegian and Manchester City player to receive this prestigious recognition.
In the final vote, both Mbappe and Messi fell significantly short of Haaland's points. Haaland accumulated 208 points, while Mbappe and Messi secured 105 and 85 points, respectively. Notably, Cristiano Ronaldo, despite being the top scorer with 53 goals, did not make it to the top ten.
Simultaneously, Ederson, the Brazilian goalkeeper for Manchester City, claimed the best goalkeeper award, becoming the second Brazilian to do so. In 2019, Liverpool's Alisson Becker was the first Brazilian to win the accolade. Aitana Bonmati, the World Cup-winning midfielder from Spain, was honored as the IFFHS Women's Footballer of the Year. Barcelona's Bonmati, who secured the UEFA Women's Player of the Year and the Ballon d'Or this year, showcased exceptional prowess. Additionally, Mary Earps from England earned recognition as the best female goalkeeper by IFFHS.
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