Lionel Messi won the best FIFA Player of the Year award for a record sixth time, beating Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk and five-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo, on Monday.
The World Cup-winning United States team captain Megan Rapinoe won the women's Player of the Year award, beating World Cup teammate Alex Morgan and England's Lucy Bronze to win the top prize. The 34-year-old Rapinoe won the Golden Boot for being top scorer and the Golden Ball for the best player at the World Cup.
Jill Ellis, the coach of the winning US women's team bagged the coach of the year award. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp won the men's coach of the year award.
“As a coach you can only be as good as your team. I'm really proud of being coach of such an incredible bunch of players,” Klopp said.
Van Dijk, who won the UEFA player's award last month after helping Liverpool to the Champions League last season, had been the forerunner in the category, but was trumped by Messi. The Barcelona striker top-scored in the Champions League last season with 12 goals. The Spanish club was knocked out of the competition by Liverpool in the semifinals.
Juventus's forward Cristiano Ronaldo, who was also in the running for the best player award, did not attend the ceremony.
