Lionel Messi and Alexia Putellas were the big winners at The Best FIFA Football Awards, which took place on Tuesday, February 28. The PSG and Argentina star was deservedly awarded the top prize in football after he had a terrific 2022, where he led his country to a third World Cup title in Qatar. Messi fended off competition from Ballon d’Or 2022 winner Karim Benzema and his PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe to win this award for the second time in his career. Putellas was crowned Best Women’s Player for the second year running after she guided Barcelona to the domestic treble and the Champions League final. Lionel Messi Reacts After Winning FIFA Best Men's Player Award, Congratulates Lionel Scaloni, Emiliano Martinez and Other Winners.

Brazil football legend Pele was also honoured at the award ceremony, with the late great being posthumously awarded the FIFA Best Special Award. The award was presented to Marcia Aoki, wife of the legend who passed away towards the end of last year. Among other honours, the FIFA Fair Play Award was also presented and it was won by Georgian footballer Luka Lochoshvili, who, while playing for Wolfsberger, saved the life of Austria Vienna’s Georg Teigl. Teigl had lost consciousness after a collision and had swallowed his tongue. Lochoshvilli acted in time to clear out the defender’s airways before regained consciousness and was taken to a hospital. Shocking! 23-Year-Old Footballer Dies After Collapsing on Pitch While Playing for Crowland Town FC Against Leverington FC.

Full List of Winners at FIFA The Best Football Awards 2022: 

  • Best Men’s Player: Lionel Messi

  • Best Women’s Player: Alexia Putellas

  • The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper: Mary Earps

  • The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martínez

  • The Best FIFA Women's Coach: Sarina Wiegman

  • The Best FIFA Men's Coach: Lionel Scaloni

  • The FIFA Puskás Award: Marcin Oleksy

  • The FIFA Fair Play Award: Luka Lochoshvili

  • The FIFA Fan Award: Argentinian Fans

  • FIFPRO Men's World XI: Thibaut Courtois, Achraf Hakimi, Joao Cancelo, Virgil van Dijk, Kevin De Bruyne, Luka Modric, Casemiro, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, Erling Haaland.

  • FIFPRO Women's World XI: Christiane Endler, Lucy Bronze, Maria Leon, Leah Williamson, Wendie Renard, Alexia Putellas, Kiera Walsh, Lena Oberdorf, Alex Morgan, Sam Kerr, Beth Mead.

Messi, with this honour, equalled Cristiano Ronaldo and Robert Lewandowski, both of whom have won this award twice. He has also been nominated for the Laureus Sportsman of the Year 2022 award. He is also a frontrunner to win the Ballon d’Or this year after his World Cup heroics.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 28, 2023 12:39 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).