The awards came to the world champion captain of the Argentina national team as forward was named the 2022 Men’s World Player of the Year by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics.
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Lionel Messi ran away with him in the end, topping the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) rankings with 275 points, well ahead of runner-up Frenchman Kylian Mbappé at 35. Rounding out the top five were French striker Karim Benzema (30 points), Croatian midfielder Luka Modric (15) and Norwegian striker Erling Haaland (5).
Glory year for Lionel Messi
It is fair to say that 2022 will forever be associated with the Lionel name thanks to its glory at the World Cup in Qatar. However, the whole year was in great shape for the club and the country. In 51 official games for PSG and Argentina, Lionel Messi scored 35 goals and gave 30 assists. That’s a goal every 69 minutes and helped Paris Saint-Germain lift the Ligue 1 title and Albiceleste win their third World Cup.
The World Championship was not just the crowning moment of Lionel’s year, but of his career. It was one major trophy to evade Lionel Messi by winning the America’s Cup in 2021. In Qatar, the Argentine has scored seven goals in seven games along with three assists.
Lionel Messi returns to PSG as a hero
Argentinean forward Lionel Messi received a hero’s hail from his Paris Saint-Germain teammates on his return and the player could return to the pitch for the Paris club on January 11 against Angers at the Parc des Princes.