Lionel Messi: Why Argentina Captain Missed FIFA Best Award Ceremony Despite Winning

• Lionel Messi has been crowned FIFA Best Men's Player of 2023
• The Argentina captain was absent at the award held in London
• Sources close to him have disclosed why he didn't attend the event

Lionel Messi’s absence at the FIFA Best award ceremony held in London has raised questions, which was clarified by sources close to the 2022 World Cup winner.

Messi was announced as the Best Men's Player of the Year, organised by FIFA and voted for by fans, captains, coaches of national teams, and journalists.

It was his eighth award and second consecutive, having also won the 2022 award, beating Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe to another award in the same year under review.

Per FIFA, Messi and Haaland were tied on scoring points with 48 each, but the Ballon d'Or winner edged it by winning the captain’s point with 677 to the striker’s 557.

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Why Messi missed FIFA awards

It is unusual for Messi to miss an award ceremony which he will win, though the Best award winner is not known till the night of the ceremony.

None of the three finalists were present at the award venue, including the Manchester City striker who lives in England, and this raised questions among the fans.

Per Guillem Balague, the 36-year-old was absent due to not wanting to break his pre-season training with Inter Miami as he prepares for his first full season.

The former Paris Saint-Germain forward has multiple events to participate in in 2024, including the Copa America with Argentina,, and would like to be in the best physical condition for the year.

He has been joined in Miami by former Barcelona teammate Luis Suarez to add to Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba, who joined weeks after the World Cup winner relocated.

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The Herons will hope to do better than winning the Leagues Cup last season, which Messi spearheaded.

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