This is the best player of 2023
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe
The best player of the year according to the IFFHS was announced and surprisingly, it is neither the 2023 Ballon d’Or winner, Lionel Messi, nor the PSG star, Kylian Mbappe. The International Federation of Football History and Statistics awarded Erling Haaland as the best male footballer of the year 2023. The IFFHS made public this Tuesday the ranking with the top ten finishers. The Norwegian adds new recognition after being named UEFA Player of the Year last August and with FIFA’s The Best gala on the horizon.
Haaland obtained 208 points in the final classification, more than 100 ahead of second place, Kylian Mbappé, who obtained 105. Both were ahead of the current Ballon d’Or winner and winner of this award in 2022, Lionel Messi. The Argentine added 85 points and completed the podium along with the Norwegian and the Frenchman. It is the first time that Haaland has obtained this award.
In that sense, as expected, several Manchester City players are at the top, with Rodri in fourth position (55 votes), Kevin de Bruyne in sixth position (27 votes) and Bernardo Silva in eighth. place with nine units. Two Real Madrid players also appear on this list, with Jude Bellingham in fifth place with 34 points and Vinícius Júnior in ninth place with eight points. Finally, although not in order of the list, Harry Kane of Bayern Munich appears in seventh place with 18 points, and Lautaro Martínez of Inter Milan closes the top ten with seven votes.
Mbappe finished one place above Lionel Messi
It is worth emphasizing that, compared to the previous vote, Haaland not only rose several places, since last year he finished in fifth position, but also obtained a noticeably greater number of votes, since on that occasion he only obtained five votes. Likewise, compared to last year’s podium, Kylian Mbappé remained in second position