WORLD governing body FIFA has revealed how national team coaches, captains and media representatives voted in The Best Football Awards held last night.
Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi won the biggest prize at the awards in Paris, France, carting home The Best FIFA Men’s Player award ahead of homeboys Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema.
Barcelona and Spain forward Alexia Putellas claimed a second consecutive The Best FIFA Women’s Player award, while Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni bagged the Men’s Coach honour.
Sarina Wiegman, who led England to win the Women’s Euros title last year, was voted The Best FIFA Women’s Coach, beating Sonia Bompastor and Pia Sundhage.
The captains, coaches and media representatives voted for three nominees, with the first choice getting the most points.
Super Eagles captain Ahmed Musa voted Messi as his first choice, followed by Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League-winning striker Benzema and France’s World Cup finalist and top scorer at Qatar 2022 Mbappe.
Nigeria head coach Jose Peseiro opted for Benzema as his No.1 choice, with Messi second and Manchester City midfielder Kevin De Bruyne third.
Veteran sportswriter Kunle Solaja, who voted on behalf of the Nigerian media, chose Messi, Mbappe and Benzema in that order.
In The Best FIFA Men’s Coach category, Musa went for Scaloni as his first choice, with Morocco’s history-making Walid Regragui second and France’s Didier Deschamps third.
Peseiro went for Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola and Scaloni, with Solaja voting Ancelotti, Scaloni and Guardiola in that order.
In The Best FIFA Women’s Player category, Super Falcons captain Onome Ebi made Putellas her first choice, followed by Aitana Bonmati and Sam Kerr.
Super Falcons head coach Randy Waldrum opted for Beth Mead, Putellas and Kerr, while Solaja voted Alex Morgan of the United States of America, Alexandra Popp and England captain Leah Williamson.
For The Best FIFA Women’s Coach, Ebi went for Wiegman, Chelsea’s Emma Hayes and Sonia Bompastor, who led Lyon to win the UEFA Women’s Champions League last season.
Waldrum voted Wiegman, Bev Priestman of Canada and Hayes, with Solaja choosing Wiegman, Brazil’s Swedish head coach Pia Sundhage and Bompastor.
HOW THEY VOTED
BEST MEN’S PLAYER
Ahmed Musa: Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema, Kylian Mbappe
Jose Peseiro: Karim Benzema, Lionel Messi, Kevin De Bruyne
Kunle Solaja: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema
BEST MEN’S COACH
Musa: Lionel Scaloni, Walid Regragui, Didier Deschamps
Peseiro: Carlo Ancelotti, Pep Guardiola, Lionel Scaloni
Solaja: Carlo Ancelotti, Lionel Scaloni, Pep Guardiola
BEST WOMEN’S PLAYER
Onome Ebi: Alexis Putellas, Aitana Bonmati, Sam Kerr
Randy Waldrum: Beth Mead, Sam Kerr, Alexia Putellas
Kunle Solaja: Alex Morgan, Alexandra Popp, Leah Williamson
BEST WOMEN’S COACH
Ebi: Sarina Wiegman, Emma Hayes, Sonia Bompastor
Waldrum: Sarina Wiegman, Bev Priestman, Emma Hayes
Solaja: Sarina Wiegman, Pia Sunhage, Sonia Bompastor
