Portugal's football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo took to social media to share a cryptic post following Lionel Messi's win of the FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year 2023 award on January 16 (Tuesday). Messi secured the prestigious honour for a record third time, narrowly beating Manchester City's Erling Haaland, with Kylian Mbappe finishing third.
Messi and Haaland were tied with 48 points each in FIFA's voting process. However, Messi emerged as the winner due to receiving more votes from national team captains. Many were surprised by Messi's win, considering his ordinary performance between December 19, 2022, and August 20, 2023, the period considered for the award. In contrast, Haaland had an impressive period, scoring 30 goals and securing a historic treble with Manchester City.
Ronaldo's Cryptic Reaction To Messi's FIFA Best Men’s Player Of The Year 2023 Award
Following Messi's win, Ronaldo's Instagram post, featuring a picture of himself training with Al Nassr, sparked speculation. The comments section was filled with remarks suggesting that Ronaldo was a more deserving candidate for the FIFA Best Player 2023 award. Ronaldo had an outstanding 2023 campaign, scoring 54 goals and providing 15 assists for Al Nassr and Portugal across all competitions, with an average of a goal per 96 minutes. "Back for more!," Ronaldo captioned his post on Instagram.
Messi made history by becoming the first player from Major League Soccer (MLS) to win the FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year award. Having joined MLS side Inter Miami from Paris Saint Germain (PSG), Messi won the 2023 Leagues Cup and secured his third FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year award, the most by any player in the history of the sport.
Messi vs Ronaldo: Inter Miami To Face Al Nassr On 1st February 2024
Inter Miami, led by Messi, are set to kick off their 2024 MLS campaign against Salt Lake on February 22. Prior to the league opener, they have a friendly match scheduled against Al Nassr on February 1. This match promises to feature an iconic face-off between Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, adding anticipation and excitement to the encounter.