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The Best FIFA Men's Player Award is one of the most prestigious individual prizes in the world of football. It honours the most outstanding player in a set period of time. Player performances from December 19, 2022, until August 20, 2023, will be considered this time around.
This means that the 2022 FIFA World Cup won't be a factor in this year's Best FIFA Men's Player Award as it was considered for the 2022 edition. Lionel Messi won the award in 2022 and is in the running for the award this time again.
FIFA released a 12-man shortlist for the award earlier this week and here, we take a look at the five favourites to win it.
#5 Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium/Manchester City)
Kevin De Bruyne did a great job for Manchester City in the 2022-23 season. As per usual, he was their creator-in-chief and kept carving out goalscoring opportunities for his teammates at an incredible rate.
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De Bruyne scored 10 goals and provided 31 assists in 49 appearances across all competitions for City in the 2022-23 season. His superior technical qualities and vision were key to City ascending to the top of European club football.
He has never won the Best FIFA Men's Player Award and we won't be too surprised if he wins it this time around.
#4 Kylian Mbappe (France/Paris Saint-Germain)
Kylian Mbappe had an excellent domestic season for Paris Saint-Germain. He was in great goalscoring form for club and country in the 2022-23 season and finished the domestic campaign as the top scorer in Ligue 1 (28 goals).
He was an absolute menace with the ball at his feet and his blistering pace, dribbling skills and shooting ability made him a nightmare to defend against.
However, an early elimination from the Champions League is unlikely to bode well for him in the race for the Best FIFA Men's Player Award this year.
Mbappe won the Ligue 1 title last term and scored 41 goals and provided 10 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions for PSG.
#3 Lionel Messi (Argentina/Inter Miami)
Lionel Messi is the odds-on favourite to win a record-extending eighth Ballon d'Or this year. However, he is not so favoured in the race for the Best FIFA Men's Player Award and that's purely because his exploits at the 2022 FIFA World Cup won't be considered this year.
It was considered last year and it went a long way towards Messi winning the award in 2022. Without the World Cup win, Messi has the Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain and the Leagues Cup with Inter Miami in the period that will be taken into consideration this year.
Messi scored 21 goals and provided 20 assists in 41 appearances across all competitions for PSG in the 2022-23 season. While those are very respectable numbers, it might not propel him to his third Best FIFA Men's Player Award.
#2 Rodri (Spain/Manchester City)
Over the past few years, Rodri has done enough to be considered the premier defensive midfielder on the global stage today. Since his arrival at Manchester City in the summer of 2019, he has excelled in his role at the heart of their midfield.
Rodri seamlessly combines his physical prowess, technical finesse, astute game-reading abilities and tactical acumen and is an absolute stalwart in the centre of the pitch.
He was influential for both City and Spain last season, playing a critical role in the former's continental treble and the latter's UEFA Nations League triumph.
#1 Erling Haaland (Norway/Manchester City)
With the 2022 FIFA World Cup a non-factor in the race for the Best FIFA Men's Player Award this year, Erling Haaland is likely to pip his competition to the coveted honour. Haaland was simply phenomenal for Manchester City in the 2022-23 season.
He scored a whopping 52 goals and provided 11 assists in 53 appearances across all competitions for the Cityzens. Haaland won the Premier League Golden Boot and the European Golden Shoe last season.
His contributions effectively propelled City to a historic continental treble win. Haaland is most likely to add another feather to his crown when the winner of the Best FIFA Men's Player Award is announced in October.
