Major League Soccer star Lionel Messi is the Best FIFA Men's Player award winner for 2023.

The Argentine superstar, who won the World Cup in Qatar in the winter of 2022, was a surprising winner.

Messi finished ahead of Erling Haaland in the voting, despite being away from European football for most of the year.

The attacker left Paris Saint-Germain to join MLS side Inter Miami and won the MLS Cup recently.

Manchester City's Haaland was unable to win the gong, despite winning the treble with City last season.

Messi was not at the ceremony, with France legend Thierry Henry jokingly accepting the award on his behalf.