The BEST FIFA Football Awards were presented on Monday, with Manchester City receiving honor after accolade following their treble victory last season.
Six City players were chosen to the FIFPro Men’s Best XI, including Ederson as Best Men’s Goalkeeper and Pep Guardiola as Best Men’s Coach. Erling Haaland couldn’t make it a clean sweep of individual honors for City, as Lionel Messi added to his seventh Ballon d’Or, finishing ahead of Kylian Mbappe and the Norwegian striker.
The Men’s Best XI saw City claim all three defenders on the team — Ruben Dias, Kyle Walker, and John Stones — as well as forward Erling Haaland, and midfielders Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne.
Messi, Mbappe, and Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior helped stop City’s bid to completely dominate the XI, while Thibaut Courtois pipped Ederson to the goalkeeper spot and Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham stepped into the midfield.
USWNT star Alex Morgan nabs another FIFA honor
Two-time FIFA Women’s Player of the Year finalist Alex Morgan was named to the FIFPro Women’s Best XI despite the USWNT’s disappointing World Cup.
PHOTO:Alex Morgan
An astounding seven England players made the list, as goalkeeper Mary Earps was joined by Lucy Bronze, Alex Greenwood, Keira Walsh, Alessia Russo, Lauren James, and Ella Toone.
World Cup winners Spain only saw two players named to the list — Olga Carmona and Aitana Bonmati — while Australian star Sam Kerr was named to the team on the heels of a major injury this month.
England boss Sarina Wiegman was named FIFA Best Women’s Coach, while Earps won the top women’s keeper honors and Bonmati laid claim to the top women’s players honor.
