The Best Fifa awards LIVE: Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema, and Kylian Mbappe nominated for top men’s prize

Who will triumph at Fifa’s annual awards ceremony?

Robert Lewandowski wins FIFA Best award

The seventh annual Fifa Best Awards takes place this evening with a host of football’s biggest stars, including the likes of Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, nominated for the top prizes. Three finalists in each category have been confirmed ahead of the ceremony in Paris.

France’s Karim Benzema, along with Messi and Mbappe has been nominated for the Best Fifa Men’s Player award whilst England’s Beth Mead is competing against the USA’s Alex Morgan and 2021 winner Alexia Putellas for the Fifa Best Women’s Player award. Elsewhere, England boss Sarina Wiegman is nominated for Fifa Best Women’s Coach and the Puskas Award will be handed out to the male or female judged to have scored the “most beautiful” goal of the calendar year.

This year saw major tournaments in both men’s and women’s football meaning men’s World Cup winners Argentina and England’s Euro 2022-winning Lionesses are both in line for a trophy-laden night. The great and the good will all be gathered in Paris for a ceremony that should celebrate a fantastic year of football.

Follow along with out live blog as the Fifa Best award winners are announced:

Fifa Best Awards

• The Fifa Best Awards ceremony takes place in Paris
• Lionel Messi wins the award for Best Fifa Men’s Player for his heroics during the Qatar World Cup
• Alexia Putellas wins Best Fifa Women’s Player Award for second year running
• Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema and Kylian Mbappe all included in Men’s World XI
• Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Keira Walsh and Beth Mead all named in Women’s World XI
• The Argentina Fans win the Fifa Fan Award for their antics during the World Cup
• Luka Lochoshvili wins the Fifa Fair Play Award
• Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni wins the Best Men’s Coach Award
• Sarina Wiegman is awarded the Best Women’s Coach prize for the third time
• Polish amputee Marcin Oleksy wins Puskas Award for ‘most beautiful’ goal
• Emiliano Martinez is the Men’s Best Goalkeeper after winning the World Cup with Argentina
• England’s Mary Earps wins Best Women’s Goalkeeper prize in first award of the night

[27 February 2023 20:22 · Michael Jones]

Fifa Best Awards

The tributes to Pele continue in the form of a Brazilian musician whilst black and white pictures of Pele’s greatest moments are being shown to the audience as he plays.

[27 February 2023 20:18 · Michael Jones]

Fifa Best Awards

(REUTERS)

[27 February 2023 20:17 · Michael Jones]

Fifa Best Awards

Ronaldo says that Pele left an eternal legacy on football that continues to influence today’s modern players.

Pele’s wife, Marcia Aoki, is now welcomed onto the stage to receive a special award in recognition of her husband’s work and talent.

“It is a big honour to be here,” she says.

[27 February 2023 20:12 · Michael Jones]

Fifa Best Awards

Following a video paying tribute to the footballing genius that was Pele, his compatriot Ronaldo comes onto the stage.

Pele, arguably the greatest player ever, died in December at the age of 82. Jermaine Jenas ask Ronaldo to say a few words about the Brazilian legend.

[27 February 2023 20:09 · Michael Jones]

Fifa Best Awards

“Tonight we celebrate the best, those who make our hearts beat,” says Fifa’s president, Gianni Infantino, “We have just experienced the best World Cup, an incredible event we will never forget.

“Pele is eternal. He is with us. He will always be with us.”

[27 February 2023 20:05 · Michael Jones]

Fifa Best Awards

The coverage of The Best Fifa Awards has started on the BBC. The hosts Samantha Johnson and Jermaine Jenas introduced Fifa President Gianni Infantino.

He gives a speech about the previous year’s footballing success and finishes off with a tribute to Pele.

[27 February 2023 19:59 · Michael Jones]

Will the Lionesses roar?

It could be a big night for England’s Lionesses.

Beth Mead, Mary Earps and Sarina Wiegman are all up for individual awards whilst, Lucy Bronze, Leah Williamson, Keira Walsh and Ellen White are short-listed for the Best Fifa Women’s XI.

[27 February 2023 19:56 · Michael Jones]

What is the difference between the Ballon d’Or and The Best Fifa Awards?

The Best Fifa Football Awards take place tonight as 2022’s football exploits are celebrated at a glamorous Paris ceremony.

The event was first held on 9 January 2017, as a rebranded revival of Fifa’s World Player of the Year awards which began in 1991 and ceased in 2009.

It is sometimes confused with the Ballon d’Or, an entirely separate prize set up by French magazine France Football in 1956.

Confusingly, the Fifa award and the France Football award merged to briefly become the Fifa Ballon d’Or between 2010 and 2015. This seemed like a simple solution which avoided having two very similar awards ceremonies in the same sport.

However, they were separated once again in 2016 and Fifa went with the simultaneously simple and instantly forgettable name of ‘The Best Fifa Football Awards’, while the Fifa Ballon d’Or returned to being just the Ballon d’Or.

So what are the key differences between the two?

[27 February 2023 19:52 · Michael Jones]

Fifa Best Awards

[27 February 2023 19:48 · Michael Jones]

Fifa Best Awards

The award ceremony is a little over 10 minutes away from commencing so here’s a reminder of all the nominees and the awards they’re vying to win:

Men’s Player

• Karim Benzema
• Kylian Mbappe
• Lionel Messi

Women’s Player

• Beth Mead
• Alex Morgan
• Alexia Putellas

Men’s Goalkeeper

• Yassine Bounou
• Thibaut Courtois
• Emiliano Martinez

Women’s Goalkeeper

• Ann-Katrin Berger
• Mary Earps
• Christiane Endler

Men’s Coach

• Carlo Ancelotti
• Pep Guardiola
• Lionel Scaloni

Women’s Coach

• Sonia Bompastor
• Pia Sundhage
• Sarina Wiegman