These were the players Salah and Van Dijk voted for at The Best award

Lionel Messi won another prestigious soccer award. Just barely. The Argentine player emerged victorious from a tie-breaker with Erling Haaland to win the award for the world's best male footballer on Monday. He has the captains of the national teams to thank for that. Messi and Haaland were tied on 48 points in the vote of coaches and national team captains, as well as specialist journalists and fans around the world.

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The tie-breaking criteria favored the one with the most first-place votes or "5 points" from the captains' votes. That category went 107-64 in favor of the Inter Miami striker. Neither player showed up for the awards gala at the Hammersmith Apollo theater in West London. Kylian Mbappé, the third runner-up, was also absent.

Messi was enshrined after leaving Paris Saint-Germain, seduced by an offer from Inter Miami. With Messi as a stronghold, in addition to revolutionizing soccer in the United States, the MLS club won the title of the unknown Leagues Cup. The 36-year-old Argentina captain also beat Haaland and Mbappé to win his eighth Ballon d'Or last October.

Who did Van Dijk and Salah vote for?

Salah and Van Dijk's votes in The Best for Best Player of 2023. Mohamed Salah: Lionel Messi, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland. Virgil Van Dijk: Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne.