Sports
Lionel Messi Wins 2023 The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award, See All Winners
To the dismay of many, Inter Miami and Argentina international, Lionel Messi has been named the 2023 The Best FIFA Men’s Player award winner for the second successive year.
Before now, Lionel Messi who led Argentina to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar won the award in 2019 and 2022.
The 36-year-old Messi beat Manchester City and Norwegian striker, Erling Haaland and Paris Saint Germain and French forward Kylian Mbappe to win the award.
Initially, Haaland was expected to win the award after leading Manchester City to win the treble, Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup in the 2022-2023 season.
However, Messi who won French Ligue 1 with PSG, and the Leagues Cup with Inter Miami between 19 December 2022 and 20 August 2023, the assessment period, was deemed the best player in the world by FIFA.
Interestingly, both Haaland and Messi were not at the award venue in London to witness the ceremony as the co-host Thierry Henry took the trophy on behalf of Messi.
Lionel Messi has now successfully defeated Haaland for the 2023 Ballon d’Or and The Best FIFA award.
Below Are All the Winners of the 2023 The Best FIFA Awards:
1. The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper: Ederson (Brazil/Manchester City
He beats fellow goalkeepers Yassine Bounou (Morocco / Sevilla-Al Hilal) and Thibaut Courtois (Belgium / Real Madrid).
2. The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper: Mary Earps (England/Manchester United)
3. The Best FIFA Women’s Coach: Sarina Wiegman (Dutch/ England national women’s team).
4. The FIFA Puskas Award: Guilherme Madruga for his goal for Botafogo vs Novorizontino.
5. The FIFA Fair Play Award: The Brazil national team wore an all-black kit against Guinea in support of Vinícius Júnior, who was the victim of racial abuse in Spain.
6. The Best FIFA Men’s Coach: Pep Guardiola (Spanish/Manchester City)
7. The Best FIFA Fan Award: Club Atlético Colón fan Hugo Miguel Iniguez wins The Best FIFA Fan Award, having been spotted feeding his newborn baby in the stands during a Colón match in Argentina.
Sports
Favour Ofili Ready For 200m Semi-finals After 100m Setback
Nigerian sprinter Favour Ofili made a spectacular debut at the Paris 2024 Olympics, delivering an impressive performance in the women’s 200m event.
After a disappointing setback in the women’s 100m, Ofili showcased her resilience by clinching victory in her heat with a new season’s best time of 22.24 seconds on Sunday, August 4. The victory has qualified her for the 2024 Olympics 200m women’s semi-finals which will take place this evening.
Sports
Lionel Messi Explains Why He Hardly Runs During Football Games
Argentine football icon, Lionel Messi, has stressed that he doesn’t care how much movement he makes in a game as people continue to take note of his walking technique.
In recent times, videos of Lionel Messi practically walking while his team are off the ball have kept many football enthusiasts talking. Many believe that it is a technique to prevent being injured, some say he does that because other players are doing the hard work for him.
But in an interview with Clank Media, Lionel Messi who turned 37-year-old earlier today, June 24, 2024, said not running when he is off the ball has been a part of his game from his days at his boyhood club, Newell, in his native country, Argentina.
“When I was at Newell’s, there were two or three times a week we were sent to run around the grounds. I used to hide behind a tree. Running without a ball was never my thing. Heh”, Lionel Messi said.
“I have always been very self-critical. I am the first to know what I do right and what I do wrong. When I walk, I analyse the opponent’s positioning, how we stand when we don’t have the ball, get away from the marker and be able to initiate a counterattack.
“I don’t pay much attention to GPS, statistics or data. I never cared how much I ran in a match.”
Note that Lionel Messi had used his walking technique while off the ball to win virtually everything in world football including 10 La Liga titles, four Champions League, one FIFA World Cup, and a record 8 Ballon d’Or.
Sports
Euro 2024: Portugal Join Two Other Teams In Round Of 16
In just two matchdays in the ongoing European Championship (Euro 2024), three countries have secured their place in the tournament’s round of 16.
Interestingly, the Three Lions of England and France, seen as the Super favourites to win the Euro 2024, will have to wait until the last day of the group stage to confirm their place.
Earlier today, June 22, 2024, Portugal’s national team, ably led by five-time Ballon d’Or winner, Cristiano Ronaldo, defeated Turkey 3-0 to book themselves a place in the round of 16.
Goals from Bernardo Silva, Bruno Fernandes, and an own goal from Samet Akaydin made all the difference.
Ronaldo provided an assist for Portugal’s third goal, which was his 7th in the history of the tournament, and the all-time highest in the European Championship.
Recall that Portugal defeated the Czech Republic 2-1 in their opening game in Group F. Hence, the Portuguese side now have 6 points in two games.
Whether or not they beat Georgia in their last group stage game on Wednesday, June 26, the Portuguese side will play in the round of 16. However, they need to win the game to ensure they finish top of Group F.
Other two teams that have already booked themselves a place in the Euro 2024 round of 16 with a game in hand are the hosts, Germany, and Spain.
Germany are topping Group A with 6 points in 2 games, while Spain are topping Group B with 6 points in two games.
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