At last night’s Best FIFA Football Awards in Paris, Lionel Messi was honored with the 2022 Best Men’s Player award, beating out Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema for the win. It was a banner year for the star forward, who scored seven goals at the 2022 Qatar World Cup and helped bring Argentina its first World Cup victory since 1986. As Messi accepted the award, he gave a heartfelt speech reflecting on the significance of this moment—while also showing off a spectacular Patek Philippe watch that only hit shelves last year.
For the awards ceremony, Messi stepped out in the Patek Philippe Ref. 5270P Perpetual Calendar Chronograph that came out in 2022, listed for $218,820 on the brand’s website. The 41 mm watch comes in a platinum case with a sapphire crystal caseback, features a green dial and gold hour markers and is fitted with a shiny black alligator leather strap.
Patek Philippe patented the Perpetual Calendar wristwatch in 1889, and the brand has regularly delivered new innovations ever since. This 2022 Grand Complications manual winding model uses chronograph movement CH 29-535 PS Q and shows day/night, day, month, leap year and moon phases. It also comes with a 30-minute counter.
Messi accepted the Best Men’s Player award after a season in which he scored 16 goals in 27 games and 14 assists.
“I want to express my thanks to [coach Lionel] Scaloni and my teammates; without them I would not be here,” Messi said while accepting the trophy, per ESPN. “I achieved a dream I had been hoping for so long and finally I achieved it. It’s a dream for any player; very few people can achieve that and I was lucky enough to do so.”
The soccer star has previously shown off high-end watches including a $145,000 white-gold Patek Philippe Nautilus and a rose-gold Rolex Yacht-Master.
