Uganda overwhelmingly vote for Messi in FIFA Awards

Lionel Messi was named the FIFA player of the world 2022 (FIFA IMAGE).

FIFA AWARDS Uganda overwhelmingly vote for Messi in FIFA Awards

Fred Mwambu • 08:15 - 28.02.2023

Micho went for Messi and Benzema alongside Senegal captain Sadio Mane while Okwi picked the Argentine, Mbappe and Mane.

Uganda Cranes coach Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic and his captain Emmanuel Okwi overwhelmingly voted Lionel Messi for the World Player of the year award.

The Argentine and World Cup winner was overwhelmingly voted the best player and his coach Lionel Scaloni the best in a vote that saw his long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo miss on the podium for the second time running.

The pompous crowning ceremony of 2022 The Best FIFA Football Awards was held in Paris, France on Monday 27th, February.

Messi collected 52 points to finish ahead of French stars Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema. The Paris Saint-Germain forward received the nod from over 1.3 million fans as Mbappe and Benzema garnered less than 600,000 votes combined.

National team coaches, captains and media also voted to account for 75 percent. In Uganda, Micho went for Messi and Benzema alongside Senegal captain Sadio Mane.

Okwi picked the Argentine, Mbappe and Mane. The first choice carried 5 points while the second and third were equivalent to three and one respectively.

Wide berth

Micho nominated Real Madrid’s UEFA Champions League winner Carlo Ancelotti and Argentine Lionel Scaloni ahead of history-making Moroccan coach Walid Regragui.

The Moroccan led the Atlas Lions to the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year thereby becoming the first African nation to achieve that milestone.

Emmanuel Okwi (Uganda Cranes Captain)

Men’s Player of the year - Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Sadio Mané

Men’s coach of the year –Walid Regragui, Carlo Ancelotti ,Lionel Scaloni

Men’s goalkeeper of the year - Yassine Bounou, Emiliano Martínez, Thibaut Courtois

Milutin ‘Micho’ Sredojevic (Uganda Cranes Coach)

Men’s Player of the year - Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema, Sadio Mané

Men’s coach of the year –Carlo Ancelotti, Lionel Scaloni, Walid Regragui

Men’s goalkeeper of the year - Emiliano Martínez, Thibaut Courtois, Yassine Bounou

Stephen Mayamba (Media)

Men’s Player of the year - Lionel Messi, Sadio Mané, Karim Benzema

Men’s coach of the year – Walid Regragui, Lionel Scaloni, Carlo Ancelotti

Men’s goalkeeper of the year - Thibaut Courtois, Yassine Bounou, Emiliano Martínez

The Best FIFA Football Awards 2022 winners:

The Best FIFA Women's Player: Alexia Putellas (Spain/FC Barcelona Femení)

The Best FIFA Men's Player: Lionel Messi (Argentina/Paris Saint-Germain FC)

The Best FIFA Women's Goalkeeper: Mary Earps (England/Manchester United WFC)

The Best FIFA Men's Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martínez (Argentina/Aston Villa FC)

The Best FIFA Women's Coach: Sarina Wiegman (England Women’s National Team)

The Best FIFA Men's Coach: Lionel Scaloni (Argentina Men’s National Team)

The FIFA Puskás Award: Marcin Oleksy (Poland/Warta Poznań)

The FIFA Fair Play Award: Luka Lochoshvili (Georgia/Wolfsberger AC/U.S. Cremonese)

The FIFA Fan Award: Argentinian Fans

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