In a sweeping balloting that included the voices of team captains, coaches, and the press from numerous countries, Lionel Messi was crowned the standout footballer of the year. His performance and leadership across competitions earned him the top honor, underscoring a remarkable era in the sport where one player repeatedly claimed the crown during a single calendar year.
The voting results placed Messi at the pinnacle with a substantial lead, tallying 52 points. Close behind was Kylian Mbappé, Messi’s PSG teammate and a formidable rival on the global stage, while Karim Benzema—though a central figure in Real Madrid and a modern Champions League champion—missed the World Cup due to injury, denting his overall standing. In the following position, Benzema occupied a podium spot, reflecting his continued impact and the resonance of his contributions despite the World Cup setback.
Following the Zurich ceremony, FIFA confirmed the selections made by national team representatives. The voting pattern saw Messi earning the personal votes of peers in some cases, with Mbappé and Neymar receiving recognition from the Paris Saint-Germain duo, while Benzema gathered votes from several others, helping to shape the final ranking. On the French side, Hugo Lloris expressed support for the team’s leading striker, and Benzema himself, followed by Messi, received the third decisive nod.
From Argentina’s camp, Lionel Scaloni placed Messi first, assigning Julián Álvarez to second and Luka Modrić in third, who ultimately finished fourth in the overall tally. Among the captains and coaches from the teams that Argentina defeated, several figures publicly backed Messi. Notable voters included Salman Al-Faraj representing Saudi Arabia, Héctor Moreno of Mexico, Robert Lewandowski of Poland, Mathew Ryan of Australia, and Virgil van Dijk of the Netherlands. They each contributed five points to Messi’s total, while Modrić’s vote leaned toward Benzema, a move that created a moment of discussion among fans and analysts alike. The coaches offered mixed assessments as well, with Ronald Koeman, newly appointed as the Netherlands’ coach, expressing his own preference, while many other coaches placed Messi on the podium nonetheless.
Controversy arose when Thiago Silva and Adenor Bacchi, the interim Brazil coach, ranked Messi in second place. This stirred debate within the football community, particularly after David Alaba of Austria allocated the Argentina captain ten points, a choice that shifted Benzema down to second and prompted a wave of reaction from Real Madrid supporters who argued for a reevaluation of votes and voting norms. The episode highlighted how subjective awards can become, even when the aim is to honor consistent performance and influence across a year of play.
Ultimately, the proceedings culminated with broad recognition of Messi as a leading figure in world football, reflecting a year of excellence that resonated across leagues and continents. The discussion that followed the vote emphasized Messi’s enduring influence, his ability to inspire teammates, and his ongoing role as a benchmark for excellence in the sport. The aftermath also underscored the passion and engagement of fans and pundits who follow every twist in the awards process, illustrating how personal stories and team dynamics intertwine in the pursuit of football’s most coveted accolades.