The World Cup title is actually reason enough to vote Lionel Messi as “World Footballer of the Year” in Zurich on Monday. But neither Kylian Mbappe nor Cristiano Ronaldo could even come close to matching him in 2022.
Everything is ready for Lionel Messi’s freestyle to be World Player of the Year 2022. “La Pulga” won the World Cup with Argentina last year in Qatar and will probably be rewarded with the coveted individual award at the FIFA Gala in Paris on Monday. Messi currently holds six world footballer trophies, the record holder ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo (5).
Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema also made it into the final selection, but the two French are only given minimal outsider chances. Fans, team bosses, national team captains, selected journalists and fans vote in the election. Robert Lewandowski had prevailed in the past two years. Messi first triumphed in 2009 and most recently in 2019, while also finishing second seven times and third once. Since 2007, with the exception of 2018, the 35-year-old has always made it into the top three.
Messi’s boss Lionel Scaloni has hopes of winning the Coach of the Year award. Other contenders include Pep Guardiola, who was English champion with Manchester City, and Carlo Ancelotti, Champions League winner with Real Madrid. His defender David Alaba does not appear among the candidates for a place in the 2022 world selection. Last year, the ÖFB star made it into the illustrious circle for the only time so far.
World Player of the Year – Beth Mead (ENG), Alex Morgan (USA) and Alexia Putellas (ESP) are eligible -, Coach of the Year and Goalkeeper of the Year will also be named on Monday. Also up for grabs is the FIFA Puskas Goal of the Year award, with a possible winner going to Brazil’s Richarlison for his goal against Serbia at the World Cup.
