Messi named FIFA player of 2022, England women rewarded for Euro campaign

The 35-year-old forward scored two goals in the final against France, with the South Americans emerging triumphant on penalties following a 3-3 draw after extra time in Qatar.

Soccer Football - The Best FIFA Football Awards - Salle Pleyel, Paris, France - February 27, 2023 The FIFA Women´s World 11 Christiane Endler, Lucy Bronze, Mapi Leon, Wendie Renard, Leah Williamson, Lena Oberdorf, Alexia Putellas, Keira Walsh, Sam Kerr, Beth Mead and Alex Morgan at the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

Soccer Football – The Best FIFA Football Awards – Salle Pleyel, Paris, France – February 27, 2023 The FIFA Women´s World 11 Christiane Endler, Lucy Bronze, Mapi Leon, Wendie Renard, Leah Williamson, Lena Oberdorf, Alexia Putellas, Keira Walsh, Sam Kerr, Beth Mead and Alex Morgan at the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

“It’s amazing. It was a tremendous year and it is an honour for me to be here tonight and win this award”, said Messi, who sat next to France forward and Paris St Germain team mate Kylian Mbappe throughout the ceremony at Paris’s Salle Pleyel.

Soccer Football - The Best FIFA Football Awards - Salle Pleyel, Paris, France - February 27, 2023 FC Barcelona's Alexia Putellas winner of The Best FIFA Women’s Player award 2022. Photo: Reuters

Soccer Football – The Best FIFA Football Awards – Salle Pleyel, Paris, France – February 27, 2023 FC Barcelona’s Alexia Putellas winner of The Best FIFA Women’s Player award 2022. Photo: Reuters

Mbappe, also nominated for the highly anticipated award of the night, netted a hat-trick in the World Cup final but his achievement was overshadowed as Messi finally won the most coveted trophy in world football.

Soccer Football - The Best FIFA Football Awards - Salle Pleyel, Paris, France - February 27, 2023 The FIFA World 11 Virgil van Dijk, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Achraf Hakimi, Casemiro and Joao Cancelo at the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

Soccer Football – The Best FIFA Football Awards – Salle Pleyel, Paris, France – February 27, 2023 The FIFA World 11 Virgil van Dijk, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Achraf Hakimi, Casemiro and Joao Cancelo at the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

“I want to express my thanks to (coach Lionel) Scaloni and my team mates, without them I would not be here,” Messi added.

“I achieved a dream I had been hoping for so long and finally I achieved it. It’s a dream for any player, very few people can achieve that and I was lucky enough to do so.”

Soccer Football - The Best FIFA Football Awards - Salle Pleyel, Paris, France - February 27, 2023 Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni receives the Best Coach award at the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

Soccer Football – The Best FIFA Football Awards – Salle Pleyel, Paris, France – February 27, 2023 Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni receives the Best Coach award at the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

His compatriots Lionel Scaloni and Emiliano Martinez won the coach of the year and keeper of the year awards respectively, and their supporters even got the best fans prize, while England were rewarded for their victorious women’s Euro 2022 campaign.

Soccer Football - The Best FIFA Football Awards - Salle Pleyel, Paris, France - February 27, 2023 Aston Villa's Emilio Martinez receives the Best Goalkeeper award from Enjola Aluko during the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

Soccer Football – The Best FIFA Football Awards – Salle Pleyel, Paris, France – February 27, 2023 Aston Villa’s Emilio Martinez receives the Best Goalkeeper award from Enjola Aluko during the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

Mary Earps was named keeper of the year and England’s Dutch coach Sarina Wiegman received the accolade for best coach of a team who had four players in the year’s World 11 – Beth Mead, Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson and Keira Walsh.

Soccer Football - The Best FIFA Football Awards - Salle Pleyel, Paris, France - February 27, 2023 England manager Sarina Wiegman receiving the Best Women's Coach award at the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

Soccer Football – The Best FIFA Football Awards – Salle Pleyel, Paris, France – February 27, 2023 England manager Sarina Wiegman receiving the Best Women’s Coach award at the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

Spain’s Alexia Putellas, who won the Ballon d’Or last year, was named women’s player of the year after inspiring Barcelona to a third consecutive national title in 2022.

Polish amputee Marcin Oleksy won the Puskas prize for best goal of the year for a spectacular acrobatic volley with Warta Poznan against Stal Rzeszow.

Soccer Football - The Best FIFA Football Awards - Salle Pleyel, Paris, France - February 27, 2023 Marcin Oleksy receiving the Puskas Award during the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

Soccer Football – The Best FIFA Football Awards – Salle Pleyel, Paris, France – February 27, 2023 Marcin Oleksy receiving the Puskas Award during the Best FIFA Football Awards. Photo: Reuters

PARIS — Lionel Messi was named FIFA player of the year 2022 on Monday as Argentina scooped all major men’s awards after winning a vintage World Cup final last December.