rling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi have been announced as the three finalists for The Best FIFA Men's Player Award 2023.

The accolade recognises the most outstanding performers in the men’s game from the period of 19 December 2022 to 20 August 2023. The winner of the illustrious prize will be revealed at a London ceremony on 15 January 2024.

A total of 12 players were initially nominated for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, having been chosen by a panel of experts. From this shortlist, the three finalists have been selected by an international jury comprising: men’s national team coaches, men’s national team captains, football journalists, and fans who voted on FIFA’s official website.

Erling Haaland

Manchester City's goal machine was simply unstoppable, terrorising defenders in domestic and European competition as Pep Guardiola's men secured the club's first treble by lifting the UEFA Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup trophies.

In 33 games in those competitions during the qualifying period he found the net 28 times, with his combination of pace, power and finishing ability proving too much for the best defenders in the world. His scoring return and ice-cool approach is made all the more impressive by the fact the Norway international only turned 23 in July 2023.

On top of his club honours, Haaland claimed a host of personal accolades, including the European Golden Shoe, the English Premier League Golden Boot, and the rare double of being named English Premier League Player and Young Player of the season.

Did you know?

It is often referenced that Haaland’s father Alf-Inge is a former footballer who represented Norway and played at the highest level, but his mother – Gry Marita Braut – was also known for her athletic prowess, claiming heptathlon titles in their home country during the 1990s.

Kylian Mbappe

The fleet-footed France international ensured that the capital club would go on to claim their eighth domestic title of the last 11 years with his metronomic goalscoring exploits during the qualifying period for The Best 2023, finding the net 17 times in the final 20 league games of the campaign, including one phenomenal spell of nine goals in six matches.

Those exploits saw the brilliant forward named as the Ligue 1 Player of the Year and also take the honour of Ligue 1 top scorer, as he recovered from the disappointment of his World Cup final hat-trick being in vain.

Did you know?

Mbappe is just four goals behind all-time leading FIFA World Cup scorer Miroslav Klose, with the former Germany international having netted 16 in 24 games across four editions of the tournament. The 24-year-old Frenchman already has 12 from 14 appearances in 2018 and 2022.

Lionel Messi

Messi, who was named The Best Men's Player in 2022, returned from leading Argentina to glory in Qatar to help PSG lift their latest Ligue 1 crown, the second of his spell in France, while he was also named in the Ligue 1 team of the season and ended the campaign at the top of the division’s assists chart.

A new challenge presented itself in July, with the diminutive genius, who now has over 100 goals for his country and is the all-time top scorer in the top five European leagues, moving across the Atlantic to join Inter Miami, a transfer greeted with the rapture and fanfare fully deserving of one of the game’s all-time greats.

Did you know?

Messi is the only player to register an assist in five World Cups. His closest challengers are Pele, Grzegorz Lato, Diego Maradona and David Beckham, who set up goals in three editions apiece.

How The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award finalists were determined

From the 12-player shortlist, each voter made their first, second and third choices for the prize.

Points were given to nominees depending on where they were placed (five points for first, three for second and one for third).

Nominated national team captains could not vote for themselves.

Selections from the four voting groups – coaches, captains, journalists, and fans – each counted for 25 per cent of the total vote, irrespective of the number of voters from each group.

The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award will be presented to the individual with the most points.

If finalists are tied on points, the award will be bestowed on the individual who has received the most first-choice selections.

The voting procedure for The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award is supervised by independent observers. Results will be published in full on FIFA.com following the awards ceremony on 15 January 2024.