PSG and Argentina forward Lionel Messi was named the best player of 2022 by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
The 35-year-old received 275 points in the voting and went far ahead of the other contenders. His teammate Kylian Mbappe received 35 points and finished second, while Real Madrid's Karim Benzema finished in the top three with 30 points.
Last December, Messi became world champion with Argentina. His team defeated France (3-3, 4-2 - penalties) in the final of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Messi had played seven games at the tournament, scored seven goals and made three assists. Mbappe scored eight goals and two assists during seven matches at the championship.