The Best Awards 2023: Messi is still the best, Osimhen in 5th place, Peseiro and Musa choices 

Argentina legend Lionel Messi was named the winner of The Best Men's Player at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2023 held in London on Monday, January 15.

The Inter Miami superstar was tied on 48 points with Manchester City's Norwegian goal machine Erling Haaland but the prize went to the Argentine because he had obtained more first place votes from the national team captains, a category that decided The Best Men's Player in the event of a tie.

Messi contributed to the tie as he was unable to vote for himself and gave his first vote to Erling Haaland, while Kylian Mbappe and Julian Alvarez were ranked second and third respectively. 

This is the eighth time Messi has won the prestigious prize having won the 2019 and 2022 Best FIFA Men's Player award and won the trophy in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015. 

Napoli and Super Eagles striker Victor Osimhen ranked fifth in the voting with 24 points, ahead of Rodri, Julián Álvarez, Bernardo Silva, İlkay Gündoğan, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Marcelo Brozović and Declan Rice.

The voting breakdown published by the official website of FIFA showed that Nigeria captain Ahmed Musa voted Osimhen to win the award and opted for Messi in second and Haaland in third. 

Super Eagles' Portuguese manager Jose Peseiro gave his first vote to Osimhen, then ranked his compatriot Silva second and Haaland third. 

Nigeria's media representative Oluwashina Okeleji picked Haaland , Kylian Mbappé and Osimhen to win the award in that order. 

Ifeanyi Emmanuel 

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