Kylian Mbappe Beats Lionel Messi To Win Ligue 1 Player of the Year Award

Kylian Mbappe Beats Lionel Messi To Win Ligue 1 Player of the Year Award

Isaac Darko
updated at May 29, 2023 at 1:45 PM
In this article:
Kylian Mbappé logo
K.Mbappé
Paris Saint Germain (PSG) logoFFrance logo
French Ligue 1 logo
FRA Ligue 1
France
Lionel Messi logo
L.Messi
Inter Miami CF logoFArgentina logo
  • Kylian Mbappe was voted the Ligue 1 player of the season
  • The Frenchman has won the award for the fourth successive time
  • Mbappe beat off competition from his teammate Lionel Messi

Kylian Mbappe was named Ligue 1 Player of the Season for the fourth time in a row on Sunday night.

The 24-year-old has scored 28 goals in the league this term and is on course to finish as the Ligue 1's top scorer for the fifth season running.

The Frenchman was crowned in a ceremony in Paris ahead of teammate Lionel Messi, Loïs Openda and Séko Fofana of Lens, and Lille striker Jonathan David.

Kylian Mbappe, Ligue 1 best player of the season
Kylian Mbappe took home Ligue 1's best player award for a record fourth time. Photo: Bertrand Guay
Source: AFP

The 2018 World Cup winner is the only player to win the award four times, surpassing Zlatan Ibrahimovic, who won the accolade on three occasions with PSG.

“I want to thank all the players. Winning the league is a great honour for us," Mbappe said on receiving his award, via PSG Chief.

The French star also thanked Messi for his help during the season, plus PSG staff, management, and others working behind the scenes.

Mbappe, scorer of 40 goals this campaign, snubbed Real Madrid at the end of last season and signed a new three-year contract to stay with PSG.

His contract will run out next year unless he exercises an option to stay until 2025, as per transfer expert, Fabrizio Romano.

Asked about his future at the awards ceremony, Mbappe replied:

“There's no more links about my future? I'm very happy here at PSG and with my choice to be part of this project. I will be here at PSG next season.”

PSG wrapped up the title with one game to spare after a 1-1 draw at Racing Strasbourg on Saturday.

Other Ligue 1 award winners

Franck Haise was named best coach of the season after leading RC Lens to second place, which will see the northern club play in the Champions League for the first time in 21 years, PSG Chief reports.

Lens also had four players in the team of the season: Brice Samba, defender Kevin Danso, midfielder Seko Fofana, and striker Lois Openda - with Samba being named best goalkeeper.

PSG also had four players selected in the Ligue 1 top eleven: forwards Mbappe and Messi, plus full-backs Nuno Mendes and Achraf Hakimi.

Mbappe to announce PSG departure

Elsewhere, Sports Brief reported that PSG and Messi could part ways at the end of the season after a falling-out, and Mbappe could be next to depart.

Former football agent, Francois Gallardo has claimed the French star is also nursing a desire to leave the Ligue 1 champions when the season ends.

Mbappe penned a three-year contract extension at the start of the season, but is said to be keen on quitting the club to join Real Madrid this summer.

Authors
Isaac Darko photo
Isaac Darko
Isaac Darko is a La Liga, Ligue 1 and Bundesliga editor at Sports Brief with a Degree in Journalism and Communications from Ghana Institute of Journalism (2010)