Former Paris forward Lionel Messi is one of the top three nominees for the 2022/23 UEFA Men's Player of the Year award.
UEFA.com analyses why he is in the running alongside Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland.
Why he was nominated
Though Messi starred for Paris and ended the season with his second Ligue 1 title, it was his exploits at the FIFA World Cup with Argentina that really caught the eye.
Lionel Messi with the World Cup trophyGetty Images
An icon of his generation, Messi became the first Argentinian to lift the World Cup since Diego Maradona, scoring seven goals in the process as he was awarded the Golden Ball for best overall player at the finals. In March, he became only the third player in history to reach 100 international goals.
2022/23 in numbers
Achievements
World Cup winner, World Cup Golden Ball winner, Ligue 1 winner
UEFA Champions League
Appearances: 7
Goals: 4
Assists: 4
Player of the Match awards: 1
Lionel Messi's 2022/23 Champions League goals and assists
Domestic League
Appearances: 32
Goals: 16
Assists: 16
Top three performances
Argentina 2-1 Australia
Messi scored the opening goal and was player of the match in this World Cup round of 16 tie. This was his 1,000th career appearance and 100th as captain of his country. He also became the most-capped South American player of all time and surpassed Maradona for most World Cup finals outings for Argentina (22).
Argentina 3-3 France
A World Cup final for the ages. The Albiceleste talisman opened the scoring from the penalty spot and fired them back ahead in extra time only for Kylian Mbappé's hat-trick to take the game to penalties. Messi, of course, converted in the shoot-out as Argentina ended their 36-year wait for another global crown.
Highlights: Paris 7-2 M. Haifa
Paris 7-2 Maccabi Haifa
Messi curled home the opening goal of the game and whipped in a wonderful effort from the edge of the box to make it 4-1 – the 129th goal of his Champions League career. Added two assists for good measure.
Who was last year's winner?
Karim Benzema was the 2021/22 UEFA Men's Player of the Year after winning the UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid and the UEFA Nations League with France. His final tally of 15 Champions League goals – including a joint-record ten in the knockout stages – earned him top spot in the competition scoring charts, with 27 in the Spanish Liga also a domestic best.
Dixonmande
492
i hope this article has put sense in haters!! infact basing on this,Messi z the favorite to win it!!
pacorules
455
some people don't really know the criteria for this vote... Player's Club and International football performance, statistics, contributions and achievements are the criteria. Stop being sentimental. Messi deserves it considering the mentioned criteria and also the weight of the world cup honors...Only football legends know what it is to lift that trophy and winning the golden ball award.
Dreams_cant_be_buy
428
Bit harsh but even he wasn't at his top. But they want to put down only Messi. Every player has his flaws even Haaland despite that insane run of goals.
wiseman450
291
We are not talking about Fifa, this award is uefa award not fifa please
that's the problem with you please read the criteria
Taiwo16
282
What do you think, even Messi retired from football he will be still nominated, because he is football 🤷🏽♂️
Factos
158
For those who can read, UEFA from 2016 considers any competition including international, NT competitions by player in a European team for this award. Meaning Messi who played for PSG is eligible and his WC are taken for consideration . Stop with the arguments that WC should not be considered.
ChiloWest
142
Why shouldn't he win it Give him the Award Already 🐐🐐🐐
pacorules
16
France won the 2018 world cup -- Was Mbappe the golden ball winner or highest goal scorer?? No, it was Modric and Harry Kane respectively...Was he the most significant player to the success of their world cup honor? No, it was Giroud(though he didn't score in the finals)... Wesley Sneider won the treble in 2010, finished runners up in the world cup in South Africa but ended up in the 4th place in the ballon d'Or... unfortunately, Messi (the goat), Xavi and Iniesta (scorer of the world cup winning goal) were ahead of him. Also was the case of Manuel Neuer who won the world cup and Messi runners up, but Messi won the golden ball award and also his contributions and personal achievement that year were unthinkable. Messi went on the win the prestigious ballon d'Or ahead of Neuer. Messi was significantly vital to their world cup win (scoring almost in every world cup game in Quatar except 1). He deserves the award base on individual and team achievements.