Messi is the footballer of the year, again!


Argentine football sensation Lionel Messi won the the best FIFA Player of the Year award for a record sixth time. He last won the award in 2015. 

Messi beat Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo to win the honour. 

He had won the Spanish La Liga title with Barcelona last season as well as the European golden boot having scored 54 goals in 58 games in all competitions.

Barcelona fielder Messi’s win at the La Scala Opera house in Milan also marks a return to the dominance of the Argentine and Ronaldo, who between them have won the award all but once since 2007.

Both Messi, 32, and Van Dijk, 28, are now in the running for the coveted Ballon d’Or which will be announced on December 2.

US co-captain Megan Rapinoe won the women’s top award after helping her country to the World Cup title this year in a tournament considered to be a milestone in the development and expansion of women’s football internationally. She beat fellow co-captain Alex Morgan and England’s Lucy Bronze.

Rapinoe, 34, was joint top scorer with six goals at the women’s World Cup and won the Golden Boot, also gaining the Golden Ball for the best player.

The Netherlands Sari van Veenendaal won the award for best goalkeeper and Jill Ellis who coached the USWNT, won the award for best coach.

Jürgen Klopp won the men’s coaching award ahead of two other Premier League coaches — Tottenham’s Mauricio Pochettino and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.

Mauricio Pochettino and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa won the fair play award.

Romanian-born Hungarian forward Daniel Zsori won the Fifa Puskas Award for the best goal. Liverpool’s Alisson Becker won the award for best goalkeeper. The Brazilian who is currently injured played a vital part in Liverpool’s title run.


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