Lionel Messi has equalled Cristiano Ronaldo’s tally of five FIFA The Best Men’s Player awards after his heroics at the 2022 World Cup in England.
The Barcelona superstar was crowned the world’s best player for the fifth time in his career, joining Ronaldo as the only players to have won the award five times.
Messi was in sensational form at the World Cup, scoring six goals and providing four assists as Argentina reached the semi-finals.
The 32-year-old was instrumental in his country’s run to the last four, scoring a stunning free-kick against France in the quarter-finals and then setting up the winning goal in the semi-final against Brazil.
Messi’s performances at the tournament earned him the Golden Ball award for the best player of the tournament, and he was also named in the Team of the Tournament.
The award caps off a remarkable year for Messi, who has been in sensational form for Barcelona in the past 12 months.
He scored 51 goals in all competitions for the Catalan giants, including a stunning hat-trick against Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals.
Messi’s performances for Barcelona have been so impressive that he was named the La Liga Player of the Year for the sixth time in his career.
The Argentine has also been in fine form for his country, scoring four goals in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers to help Argentina reach the tournament.
Messi’s performances at the World Cup have seen him join Ronaldo as the only players to have won the FIFA The Best Men’s Player award five times.
The award is voted for by national team captains, coaches and media representatives, and Messi was the clear winner this year, receiving 41.33% of the votes.
Ronaldo, who won the award four times in a row between 2016 and 2019, finished second with 28.33% of the votes.
Messi’s fifth award is a testament to his longevity and consistency at the highest level.
The Argentine has been one of the best players in the world for over a decade, and his performances at the World Cup have seen him join Ronaldo as the only players to have won the award five times.
Messi’s performances at the World Cup have also seen him become the first player to win the Golden Ball award and the FIFA The Best Men’s Player award in the same year.
The Argentine has now won the award five times in his career, and he will be hoping to add to his tally in the coming years.
