The Best FIFA Football Awards™ 2023, a dazzling ceremony in London on January 15, 2024, celebrated the extraordinary talents in football, honouring players, coaches, and teams across both men's and women's games. Let's look into the remarkable winners and memorable moments of the night.
Winners:
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The Best FIFA Women's Player: Aitana Bonmati
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The Best FIFA Men's Player: Lionel Messi
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The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper: Mary Earps
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The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper: Ederson
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The Best FIFA Women's Coach: Sarina Wiegman
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The Best FIFA Men's Coach: Pep Guardiola
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The FIFA Puskás Award: Guilherme Madruga
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The FIFA Special Award: Marta
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The FIFA Fair Play Award: Brazil Men’s National Team
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The FIFA Fan Award: Hugo Daniel “Toto” Iniguez
HOW CLOSE WAS THE WOMEN’S AWARD?
The Best FIFA Women’s Player award saw Aitana Bonmati as the clear standout. Despite the impressive performances of Linda Caicedo and Jenni Hermoso, Bonmati's victory was expected, considering her exceptional contributions to Spain's maiden world title and Barcelona's domestic and European treble.
THE BEST FIFA WOMEN’S PLAYER
Aitana Bonmati secured The Best FIFA Women’s Player for the first time, rightfully earning the coveted award. Her stellar performances guided Spain to a historic world title and propelled Barcelona to a domestic and European treble. Bonmati triumphed over strong contenders, including Linda Caicedo and Jennifer Hermoso.
HOW CLOSE WAS THE MEN’S AWARD?
Following the ceremony's conclusion, the official voting numbers unveiled an intense battle for The Best FIFA Men’s Player.
Erling Haaland came remarkably close to challenging Lionel Messi for the top honour, finishing tied with Messi at 48 points. In the event of a tie, the award goes to the player with the most votes from national team captains, a metric that favoured Messi. An intriguing detail emerged: Messi, captaining Argentina, voted for Haaland.
THE BEST FIFA MEN’S PLAYER
Lionel Messi, securing the title for the second consecutive year, emerged as The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2023. The competition was fierce, with Messi and Erling Haaland both accumulating 48 points. Messi's victory was determined by the number of first-choice nominations, as per the Rules of Allocation. Kylian Mbappe claimed the third spot with 35 points.
THE BEST FIFA WOMEN’S GOALKEEPER
Mary Earps, showcasing brilliance for the second consecutive year, was named The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper. Her outstanding performances contributed to the Lionesses' triumph in the Finalissima and their first-ever FIFA Women’s World Cup™ final.
THE BEST FIFA MEN’S GOALKEEPER
Ederson, the stalwart of Manchester City's historic treble, claimed The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper of 2023. The Brazilian topped the poll with 23 points, surpassing Thibaut Courtois and Yassine Bounou.
THE BEST FIFA WOMEN’S COACH
Sarina Wiegman, the mastermind behind England's record-breaking year, secured The Best FIFA Women’s Coach for 2023. Leading the Lionesses to the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ final and clinching other titles, Wiegman outshone Emma Hayes and Jonatan Giraldez.
STILL A BIG NIGHT FOR MANCHESTER CITY
Although Erling Haaland missed the top honour, Manchester City had a noteworthy evening. Pep Guardiola was named The Best FIFA Men’s Coach, and Ederson received The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper award. Remarkably, six Manchester City players featured in the Men's Fifpro XI.
THE BEST FIFA MEN’S COACH
Pep Guardiola claimed The Best FIFA Men’s Coach 2023, steering Manchester City to a historic treble. His team's triumphs included the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, and FA Cup in 2022/23. Guardiola garnered 28 points, surpassing Luciano Spalletti and Simone Inzaghi.
FIFA PUSKÁS AWARD
Guilherme Madruga's spectacular overhead kick for Botafogo-SP earned him the FIFA Puskás Award 2023. The accolade recognizes the most extraordinary goal in both men’s and women’s football during the qualification period.
FIFA SPECIAL AWARD
Marta, a football icon, received The FIFA Special Award for her illustrious career. Scoring 115 goals for Brazil, she inspired millions globally. In 2025, FIFA will introduce the 'Marta Award' for the best goal in women’s football.
FIFA FAIR PLAY AWARD
The Brazil men’s national team was honoured with the FIFA Fair Play Award for their powerful stand against racism. In a friendly against Guinea, they swapped their traditional yellow jerseys for an all-black kit, demonstrating solidarity with Vinicius Junior, who had faced racist abuse.
FIFA FAN AWARD
Hugo Daniel “Toto” Iniguez, a dedicated Colon de Santa Fe fan, received The FIFA Fan Award. His heartwarming act of feeding his son during a game went viral, symbolizing a profound connection between family and football.
The Best FIFA Football Awards™ 2023 celebrated excellence, sportsmanship, and memorable moments in the world of football.
(With inputs from FIFA)
Image Source: FIFA/X
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