Sportskeeda football Oscars: Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland and more
The annual Sportskeeda football Oscars have been announced. 2022 was a great year for football. We had plenty of scintillating club football action and we also got to enjoy the absolute spectacle of the 2022 FIFA World Cup to round off the year.
We had a number of wonderful individual performers in the world of football in 2023. Many players shone in their respective departments, while a few select ones managed to help their teams win the top prizes.
Let's dive right in and see who the winners of the Sportskeeda football Oscars are.
Best Goalkeeper - Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid)
Thibaut Courtois was in spectacular form for Real Madrid in the 2021-22 season. He produced an absolute masterclass of a performance in the UEFA Champions League final last term against Liverpool. Courtois is one of the best shot-stoppers of his generation and is a vital cog for both club and country.
Even in the 2022-23 season, he's done a decent job so far, and has saved 81.5% of shots in the La Liga.
Best Youngster - Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Vinicius Junior improved immensely over the course of the 2021-22 season to become one of Real Madrid's most important players. He scored 22 goals and provided 20 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions for Los Blancos last term.
He also scored the winning goal for Real Madrid in the final of the UEFA Champions League against Liverpool. Vinicius has been in excellent form this term and has already scored 19 goals and provided nine assists in 39 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid so far.
Best Comeback - Marcus Rashford (Manchester United)
Marcus Rashford was tipped to go on to become one of the best players of his generation from a very young age. But after an extremely disappointing 2021-22 campaign, it looked like he may have hit his ceiling.
In 37 appearances across all competitions for Manchester United last season, Rashford scored just five goals and provided two assists. But he has absolutely turned things around this season. The 25-year-old is in the form of his life right now.
He has scored 25 goals and provided nine assists in 42 appearances across all competitions for the Red Devils so far this season.
Best Emerging Player - Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli)
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia has taken European football by storm this season. A relatively unknown entity at the start of the campaign, Kvaratskheli's wonderful performances have massively helped make Napoli the dominant unit they are right now.
Kvaratskehlia has been in sublime form and has even earned the nickname 'Kvaradona' from the Partenopei. He has scored 13 goals and provided 15 assists in 28 appearances across all competitions for Napoli so far this term. Kvaratskhelia is, by far, the breakout star of the 2022-23 season.
Best Striker - Erling Haaland (Manchester City)
Erling Haaland has simply been phenomenal for Manchester City since joining the club last summer. He has taken the Premier League by storm and his performances in the Champions League have been sensational as well.
Haaland will keep improving and that's a scary thing to envision for opponents as he is already world-class at the age of 22. The Norway international has scored 39 goals and provided six assists in 36 appearances across all competitions for Manchester City so far this season.
Erling Haaland is the youngest player to score 30 UCL goals, breaking Kylian Mbappé's record 🤯
This rivalry is only getting better 📈 https://t.co/a4lt4teVmn
Best Player (Woman) - Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Alexia Putellas scored 34 goals across all competitions for club and country last term and was Barcelona's captain as they won the domestic treble. They also made it to the Champions League final where they fell to Lyon.
Unfortunately, for Putellas, she missed the European Championship due to an ACL injury. Putellas picked up her second The Best FIFA Women's Player of the Year award in February as well as the 2022 Ballon d'Or Feminin.
Best Player (Men) - Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)
Karim Benzema's incredible heroics in the 2021-22 Champions League knockout stages is something for the ages. Whenever things looked to be going south for Real Madrid, Benzema conjured up something stunning out of the blue and fired them to Champions League glory.
The 2021-22 season was arguably the best individual campaign of his career. He scored 44 goals and provided 15 assists in 46 appearances across all competitions for Carlo Ancelotti's side last term. Benzema won the first Ballon d'Or of his career as well last year.
#BallonDOr #Benzema
Karim Benzema wins the Ballon d’Or. It’s finally official. ✨ #BallonDOr #Benzema https://t.co/DPaG07e36E
Best Performance - Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi scored seven goals and provided three assists in seven appearances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, firing Argentina to glory on the biggest stage in football. Messi was a man on a mission in Qatar and looked unstoppable as he chased down the elusive World Cup.
He produced multiple wonderful goals, including a brace in the final against France, as well as a couple of spectacular assists in the tournament. He won the Golden Ball for his efforts at the World Cup.