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Messi Edges Haaland And Bonmati Completes Sweep At FIFA Awards
FC Barcelona’s Aitana Bonmati holds a trophy on stage after winning the best women’s player of 2023 during the awards ceremony in London, UK, January 15, 2024
Messi pips Haaland after tie-breaker to pick men’s best player, as Guardiola and Wiegman are named best coaches.
Lionel Messi was crowned as the best men’s player for 2023, while Aitana Bonmati added to her collection of individual accolades by winning the women’s award at FIFA’s award ceremony in London.
Messi retained the award on Monday night by beating Manchester City’s treble-winning Norwegian striker Erling Haaland in a tie-break as France’s Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe finished third.
The 36-year-old was a surprise victor ahead of Haaland as the award covered only the period after Messi had led Argentina to World Cup glory in December 2022 to August 2023.
During that time the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner had a subdued end to his career at Paris Saint-Germain, despite winning the Ligue 1 title, before joining MLS side Inter Miami in June.
While Messi quickly made his mark in the United States as he helped the franchise to their first trophy by winning the Leagues Cup in August, Haaland was the favourite to win after scoring 52 goals in his debut season with City as the English side won a treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.
After receiving the same number of points (48) from a scoring system based on votes from national team captains, coaches, journalists and fans, Messi was crowned victor thanks to more first-choice nominations.
However, all three of the men’s finalists did not attend the ceremony leaving Arsenal and France legend Thierry Henry, who was co-hosting the event, to pick up the award in Messi’s absence.
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Bonmati’s ‘exceptional and unique year’
But World Cup champion Bonmati showed up – and cleaned up. The 25-year-old Spain playmaker added to her Ballon d’Or award last October, which followed a UEFA award in August and the Golden Boot award at the World Cup.
It was after she led Spain to World Cup glory and Barcelona to the Champions League title. She was named player of the tournament for both competitions.
Bonmati edged out Spain teammate Jenni Hermoso and Colombia star Linda Caicedo.
“A couple of weeks ago when 2023 came to an end, I was nostalgic because 2023 was an exceptional and unique year I will remember for the rest of my life,” said Bonmati.
“I’m proud of being part of a powerful generation of women who are changing the rules of the game and the world.”
Pep Guardiola was named best coach after masterminding City’s first-ever Champions League success.
“We’re here because we won a lot and the thousands of people involved in our success,” said Guardiola.
“I’m really happy for the season we had because it was an incredible journey. In the end, we did it, but the pleasure of being there was incredible.”
Haaland was joined by five of his club teammates – Kyle Walker, John Stones, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva and Kevin De Bruyne – in the team of the year.
Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, Messi and Mbappe made up the 11.
City’s Ederson won men’s goalkeeper of the year, while England and Manchester United stopper Mary Earps picked up the women’s award.
England national team boss Sarina Wiegman won the women’s coach of the year after leading the Lionesses to the World Cup final.
Seven of England’s women were included in the team of the year: Earps, Lucy Bronze, Alex Greenwood, Keira Walsh, Alessia Russo, Lauren James and Ella Toone.
Olga Carmona, who scored the winning goal in the World Cup final, was the only other Spaniard included alongside Bonmati with American star Alex Morgan and Australia’s Sam Kerr also selected.
The Brazilian men’s team won the fair play award after they donned an all-black shirt for the first time in a show of support for forward Vinicius, who suffered several incidents of racist abuse while playing for Madrid last year.
There was also Brazilian success in the Puskas award for the best goal, scored by Botafogo’s Guilherme Madruga for his spectacular overhead kick.
Josh2Funny’s Album Has Fans Talking — But Should He Stick To Music Or Skits? 😂🎶
Nigerian comedian and content creator Josh2Funny has taken his comedy game into music, and Nigerians are definitely having something to say about it.
The comedian released his 15-track album, “On Behalf of Josh,” on July 10, 2026, but instead of fading away after release, the project has continued to generate conversations on X.
And the big question now is:
Should Josh2Funny continue with music or go back to skits? 😂
Fans have been divided. While some listeners openly criticized the album and told him to return to comedy, others found songs they genuinely enjoyed.
One X user joked:
“Josh2Funny stopped doing skits and started music, Everybody wan chop this music money 😂”
Another simply said:
“This Josh2Funny Album no enter make he just go back skit abeg 😂”
But then came “Lembe.” 🔥
The track caught fire on X and eventually became a trending topic in Nigeria. The #LembeChallenge also gained momentum as creators began jumping on the song.
Josh2Funny later announced ₦1 million for winners of the challenge, giving the song another major push.
And it didn’t stop there.
‘INTERNATIONAL’ FT. ICE PRINCE ALSO TRENDED
On another day, “International” featuring Ice Prince generated its own buzz on X.
One fan even called it their favourite song from the album, while praising the collaboration. The post itself pulled thousands of views, showing that people weren’t only talking about Lembe.
From album criticism to trending songs and challenges, “On Behalf of Josh” has kept Josh2Funny’s name in the conversation.
Whether you love the album or think he should return to skits, one thing is clear:
Josh2Funny has succeeded in getting Nigerians talking. 😂🔥
So, let’s settle this once and for all:
Should Josh2Funny continue with MUSIC 🎶 or return to SKITS 😂?
Music or Skits? Drop your answer! 👇
East Ham, East London — 8 August 2026: The vibrant Igbo community in the UK came together for an unforgettable evening of entertainment, culture and social connection at Igbotic Game Night, one of the biggest social gatherings celebrating the Igbo community in the United Kingdom.
Among the night’s standout moments was an electrifying performance by Afrobeats artist Obeena, who took the stage and immediately captured the attention of the crowd.
Obeena delivered performances of two of his hit songs, “Wara Wara” and “Banging,” bringing his energetic sound and distinctive stage presence to the event. From the opening moments of his set, fans responded with excitement, singing along, dancing and enthusiastically supporting the artist.
His performance of “Wara Wara” created an instant connection with the audience, while “Banging” took the energy to another level. Obeena’s ability to engage the crowd transformed his set into one of the most memorable entertainment moments of the evening.
Held in East Ham, East London, on 8 August 2026, Igbotic Game Night provided a unique platform for members of the Igbo community to celebrate their heritage while enjoying music, games and social interaction. Events such as this continue to play an important role in bringing together Nigerians and the wider African diaspora in the UK.
For Obeena, the performance was another opportunity to showcase his growing artistry and connect directly with fans. His energetic delivery, stage confidence and ability to command the audience demonstrated why his live performances continue to attract attention.
By the end of his set, Obeena had left the crowd amazed and added another memorable chapter to his journey as an Afrobeats artist. His appearance at Igbotic Game Night was not simply a performance—it was a celebration of Nigerian music, culture and community.
With performances like this, Obeena continues to demonstrate his ambition to take his sound beyond the studio and onto major stages, connecting with audiences through music, energy and an unmistakable African identity.
Igbotic Game Night brought the Igbo community together. Obeena gave them a performance to remember.
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