REVEALED: Erling Haaland won the coaches’ backing at FIFA’s The Best awards – with three top managers leaving out winner Lionel Messi entirely… while one captain named Declan Rice as his top pick

Lionel Messi triumphed at FIFA’s Best Award after winning the players’ support, but more coaches favored Erling Haaland after a failed vote.

The World Cup winner added another accolade to his glittering list of honors – also winning the Ballon d’Or for the eighth time – after a memorable year that saw him finally lift the Jules Rimet Trophy in Qatar in 2022.

Messi pipped Haaland to the prize despite scoring as many points as the Man City striker on 48. The Argentine won the award after receiving more ‘five points’ votes from the captains.

That popularity among the countries’ captains was telling, as a number of top clubs backed the Inter Miami star, including seven of the international teams in FIFA’s top ten.

France captain Kylian Mbappe – who finished third with 35 points – opted for Messi despite being rivals with him for the prize, followed by Haaland and Kevin de Bruyne.

Lionel Messi sent Erling Haaland to FIFA’s The Best award after gaining the support of more national team captains

An analysis shows that Haaland was favored by more coaches, but in the end Messi won thanks to his superior points among the players

A full list of players who scored points shows Victor Osimhen, Rodri and Julian Alvarez

And England captain Harry Kane also gave Messi the nod by picking Haaland second and then Man City’s Bernardo Silva third.

Messi was also the name chosen by Belgian captain Romelu Lukaku, Dutch captain Virgil van Dijk, Italian captain Gianluigi Donnarumma and Croatia’s Luka Modric.

It is perhaps no surprise that Portugal captain Pepe – a brave former opponent of Messi from their LaLiga days – snubbed the striker from his top three and instead picked compatriot Bernardo Silva as the winner, followed by Haaland and Victor Osimhen.

However, Haaland did receive the support of some of Man City’s rivals in the Premier League.

Messi’s incredible World Cup-winning year saw him triumph over Haaland

Harry Kane gave his vote to Messi, but his England boss Gareth Southgate left him completely out of his top three

Arsenal’s Declan Rice was the surprise top selection of one national team captain

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, his teammate at international level with Norway, gave the forward his first choice.

Man United defender Victor Lindelof, the Sweden captain, put aside the Red Devils’ rivalry with Man City with his selections.

Lindelof placed Haaland above Messi in the voting, while also choosing Silva for his third place.

Haaland was more popular than Messi among coaches. England boss Gareth Southgate didn’t even name him in his top three, opting for Haaland, Rodri and Silva.

He was also rejected by Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann, who opted for Mbappe, Ilkay Gundogan and Haaland.

Belgian boss Dominic Tedesco also found no place for Messi.

Tedesco went for his star man Kevin de Bruyne, followed by Mbappé and Haaland.

There were a handful of selections in left field, with Al-Nassr midfielder and former Inter Milan star Marcelo Brozovic receiving a total of 17 votes from players and coaches. One came from Portugal boss Roberto Martinez, who picked him as the winner ahead of Bernardo Silva, with Messi as third choice.

Even Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice was selected as first choice by the captain of one country, although you may be surprised which one.

It was Montserrat captain Lyle Taylor, formerly of Charlton and now of Cambridge United – who grew up in London like Rice, last year’s UEFA Conference League winner with West Ham.

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, meanwhile, earned seven ‘scoring points’ – while Barcelona midfielder Ilkay Gundogan won thirteen. Julian Alvarez won 21 points as his career goes from strength to strength at Man City.