GENEVA: Vinicius Jr of Real Madrid has succeeded Lionel Messi as the recipient of The Best FIFA Men's Player 2024 award, while Aitana Bonmati from Spain has been honored as The Best Women's Player for the second year in a row on Tuesday.
The ceremony for The Best FIFA Football Award 2024 took place in Doha, Qatar, where various awards were presented based on votes from fans, national team captains, coaches, and media representatives.
Vinicius Jr secured 48 points, followed closely by Rodri, the Spanish midfielder from Manchester City, who garnered 43 points. Jude Bellingham, an English midfielder for Real Madrid, finished third with 37 points.
Messi ranked sixth with 25 points, as the voting system awards five points for a first choice, three for a second, and one for a third.
FIFA highlighted that the Brazilian and Real Madrid forward had an outstanding season in 2023-24, contributing significantly to his team's success with 24 goals in 39 matches across all competitions.
Aitana Bonmati, the Spanish star from Barcelona, has now become the sixth player to win this award multiple times. She played a crucial role in Spain's victory in the UEFA Women's Nations League and helped Barcelona secure the UEFA Women's Champions League title.
The 26-year-old accumulated 52 voting points, surpassing Zambia's Barbra Banda with 39 points and Norway's Caroline Graham Hansen with 37 points.
Carlo Ancelotti, the head coach of Real Madrid, received The Best Men's Coach award, while Emma Hayes of Chelsea was honored with The Best Women's Coach award.
The Best Men's Goalkeeper award was presented to Argentine Emiliano Martinez, and American Alyssa Naeher was recognized as the Best Women's Goalkeeper.
Additionally, FIFA revealed the Men's and Women's Best 11 teams, along with the recipients of various other awards, such as the Fair Play Award and the Fan Award.
