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Haaland beats Messi, Mbappe to win UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award

Erling Haaland beat Paris Saint-Germain stars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to win the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award.

• August 31, 2023
Erling Haaland and Guardiola
Erling Haaland and Guardiola

Manchester City’s goal machine, Erling Haaland, beat Paris Saint-Germain stars Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe to win the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award for the 2022/2023 season.

While Haaland won the Men’s Player of the Year award, his coach, Pep Guardiola, won the Men’s Coach of the Year award at the event held at Grimaldi Forum in Monaco.

The duo of Messi and Mbappe were eliminated from the Champions League in the round of 16, while Haaland led his team to Champions League victory.

Haaland’s sterling performance in his debut season with City powered the club to a historic treble in the UEFA Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

Netting 12 goals in the 2022/2023 Champions League, Haaland displayed huge confidence in front of goal, terrorising goalkeepers. 

The Norwegian striker also joined the exclusive group of players to net five goals in a UCL game last season.

Outside the Champions League, Haaland netted 36 goals, including four hat-tricks- to power City to the English Premier League title.

Meanwhile, Guardiola won the Men’s Coach of the Year award for leading City to a historic treble. 

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