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<p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><p style="display: none;">Article continues below</p><ul><li>Messi crowned best player of 2023</li><li>Argentine's win sparked debate</li><li>Scaloni insists he desereved award</li></ul><script type="application/json" data-placement="fcplayer-semantic">{"type":"fcplayer-semantic","data":{"embedCode":"//cdn.fcp.codes/embed-code-template/embed-code-template.js#SEMANTIC_5704afb8-c10b-4ba5-9cb4-d7fb6098ef90"}}</script>

Questioning Lionel Messi’s FIFA The Best award is ‘strange’ as Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni says there is ‘no debate’ over Inter Miami star winning

Major League Soccer

Inter Miami CF

New York Red Bulls

<p>Messi was named the world's best player in 2023, <a href="https://www.goal.com/en/lists/kylian-mbappe-erling-haaland-lionel-messi-best-men-s-player-2023-fifa/bltfd17114d1444e69c#:~:text=Kylian%20Mbappe-,Lionel%20Messi%20crowned%20best%20men's%20player%20of%202023%20at%20FIFA's,Kylian%20Mbappe%20to%20top%20prize&amp;text=Lionel%20Messi%20has%20been%20crowned,to%20top%20spot%20once%20again." target="_blank">beating Manchester City star Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe to the prize</a>. His victory sparked debate among fans, but Scaloni insists there should be no question about his success.</p><div class="affiliate-button-container theme-1" data-name="Apple TV"><div class="affiliate-button"><img class="logo" height="40" width="72" src="https://eu-images.contentstack.com/v3/assets/bltcc7a7ffd2fbf71f5/blt2de198b67da95a2e/65709d2436cf7d0407034ef9/Apple_TV.png" style="width: 72;height: 40;"><span class="affiliate-text">Watch Inter Miami with the MLS Season Pass</span></div><a href="https://tv.apple.com/channel/tvs.sbd.7000?itsct=goal_mls&amp;itscg=30200&amp;at=1010l39UY" class="affiliate-button-link" target="_blank">Stream now</a></div>

WHAT HAPPENED?

<p>"I think the debate goes beyond football, I don't think there is a debate between the footballer or the coach as to why he won it," Scaloni told <a href="https://www.marca.com/futbol/futbol-internacional/2024/01/26/65b18c7d46163f33478b4580.html" target="_blank"><em>Marca</em></a>. "If Haaland or Mbappe had won it, it would have been fine too. It's media stuff. Debating why Messi won it when football people vote is strange."</p>

WHAT SCALONI SAID

<p>Messi won the award despite having a rather quiet 2023. After guiding Argentina to the World Cup at the end of 2022, he left PSG to join Inter Miami and led them to Leagues Cup success, but they missed out on a play-off spot in MLS. <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-gb/lists/lionel-messi-not-won-major-titles-inter-miami-lothar-matthaus-rages-erling-haaland-defeat-fifa-best-vote/blt5e2d448a81865f57" target="_blank">Haaland, meanwhile, played a starring role</a> as City won the Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup and Mbappe helped PSG to the Ligue 1 title.</p>

THE BIGGER PICTURE

<p>The 36-year-old will be in action again next week as his Inter Miami side <a href="https://www.goal.com/en-us/lists/cristiano-ronaldo-al-nassr-lionel-messi-last-dance-riyadh-season-cup/bltae7f27d2ea3b48e2" target="_blank">take on an Al-Nassr captained by old rival Cristiano Ronaldo</a>. The Florida club will then start their MLS campaign with a game against Real Salt Lake in late-February.</p>

WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

Questioning Lionel Messi’s FIFA The Best award is ‘strange’ as Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni says there is ‘no debate’ over Inter Miami star winning | Goal.com UK

Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni says there should be no debate about whether or not Lionel Messi deserved to win the FIFA The Best Men&apos;s Player prize.

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