Opinion FIFA Gala
Messi is a world footballer again – a ridiculous choice
Status: 16.01.2024 | Reading time: 2 minutes
For the eighth time – Messi again World Player of the Year
Lionel Messi won the World Footballer of the Year award in the evening. The Argentinian won the coveted award for the 8th time. It is his most surprising win. The Norwegian Erling Haaland from triple winner Manchester City started the race as the favorite.
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Lionel Messi has been named World Player of the Year for the eighth time. A questionable choice at best, but one that was outdone by the awards ceremony. What was supposed to be the highlight of the evening turned into a farce.
Erling Haaland, the 23-year-old striker from Manchester City, wouldn’t have had to go far to London for the FIFA gala “The Best”. But Haaland saved himself a good 300 kilometers. At around 10 p.m. German time it was clear why it was not the Norwegian but his father who was in the audience: Although no one deserved it more, Haaland was not named FIFA World Player of the Year. Instead, Lionel Messi once again received the award. For the eighth time.
It’s a ridiculous choice. Ultimately, it is the achievements of the past year that should be evaluated and not one’s life’s work. Messi led Argentina to World Cup triumph in 2022 and definitely deserved the title this year. But 2023? He played a few more games for the French champions PSG and lost with his colleagues in the Champions League against FC Bayern.
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In the summer he moved to the second-tier American MLS at best and was involved in Inter Miami climbing from last place to second-to-last place by the end of the season after his arrival. He was also a little injured. World footballer? So please.
Haaland, on the other hand, scored 44 goals in 54 games across all competitions in 2023 – and won not only the treble of the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup, but also the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.
Die Gags von Thierry Henry
Perhaps Messi himself was so ashamed that he stayed away from the award ceremony and did not accept the award in person. But the fact that there wasn’t even a representative for the trophy presentation (for example Messi’s club boss David Beckham) or a video message from Messi when the men’s most important prize was finally handed over in London after a long 90 minutes was ultimately undignified.
No Messi in sight – presenter Henry has to improvise
Quelle: dpa/Kirsty Wigglesworth
Especially since in the hall, which was full of footballers and ex-professionals, there was more embarrassed silence than euphoria about Messi’s election. The weak polite applause and presenter Thierry Henry’s attempt to cover up the embarrassing moment with a few gags finally put the finishing touches on the whole thing. Or in this case better: off.
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Coaches and captains of all recognized national teams vote on the world footballer together with a journalist from each country. There is also a fan vote. The votes of these four groups have equal weight. FIFA should take a good look at this year’s results, draw conclusions from them and perhaps think about a new procedure.
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Because a farce like the one on Monday in London makes the price, which is in itself so great, very small.
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