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– Argentina featured heavily in shortlists for FIFA’s Best awards following their World Cup triumph, with forwards Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and coach Lionel Scaloni receiving nominations in their categories.
– Messi, along with his Paris Saint-Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland, are among the 14 players shortlisted for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award, the world governing body said on Thursday.
– The trio are joined by last year’s winner Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona, Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah.
Also Read: Messi makes goalscoring return in PSG win over Angers
#TheBest FIFA Men’s Player Nominees:
🇦🇷Julián Álvarez
🏴Jude Bellingham
🇫🇷Karim Benzema
🇧🇪Kevin De Bruyne
🇳🇴Erling Haaland
🇲🇦Achraf Hakimi
🇧🇷Vinícius Junior
🇵🇱Robert Lewandowski
🇸🇳Sadio Mané
🇫🇷Kylian Mbappé
🇦🇷Lionel Messi
🇭🇷Luka Modrić
🇧🇷Neymar
🇪🇬Mohamed Salah
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) January 12, 2023
– However, Cristiano Ronaldo was left off the list of nominees for the first time.
– Ronaldo, who was released by Manchester United and benched by Portugal during the World Cup, won the FIFA award the first two times it was handed out — in 2016 and 2017 — and was among the three finalists the following three years. This was the first time he was not even selected as a contender by a FIFA-appointed expert panel.
– Barca and Arsenal dominate the women’s award with three players each including Alexia Putellas, Keira Walsh and Aitana Bonmati for the Spanish champions while the English side are represented by Leah Williamson, Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead.
– Chelsea duo Sam Kerr and Jessie Fleming and Olympique Lyonnais’ Ada Hegerberg and Wendie Renard also make the cut.
– Sarina Wiegman, who led England to Euros success last year, is joined on The Best FIFA Women’s Coach shortlist by Chelsea’s Emma Hayes and Germany manager Martina Voss-Tecklenburg.
– Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti and Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola are nominated for the men’s award, along with Argentina’s Scaloni, France boss Didier Deschamps and Morocco manager Walid Regragui.
#TheBest FIFA Men’s Coach Nominees:
Coaches:
🇮🇹Carlo Ancelotti (@realmadrid)
🇫🇷Didier Deschamps (@equipedefrance)
🇪🇸Pep Guardiola (@ManCity)
🇲🇦Walid Regragui (@EnMaroc)
🇦🇷Lionel Scaloni (@Argentina)
Vote on FIFA+ 👉 https://t.co/vscVDT00KO
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) January 12, 2023
– Liverpool’s Alisson, Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois and Aston Villa’s Martinez are among the nominees for The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper award.
#TheBest FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper Nominees:
🇧🇷Álisson Becker (@LFC)
🇲🇦Yassine Bounou (@SevillaFC)
🇧🇪Thibaut Courtois (@realmadrid)
🇧🇷Ederson (@ManCity)
🇦🇷Emiliano Martínez (@AVFCOfficial)
Vote on FIFA+ 👉 https://t.co/oiTvZ2TDeQ
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) January 12, 2023
– FIFA said it will announce the three finalists in each category in early February.
– FIFA also announced an 11-player shortlist for this year’s Puskas Award for the “most beautiful” goal of the year, with Mbappe’s spectacular volley against Argentina in the World Cup final among the nominees.
FIFA Puskás nominees:
Balotelli v Göztepe
Henry v Barcelona
Hernández v Atalanta
Kuol v Iraq U23s
Mbappé v Argentina
Metilli v Rosario Central
Paralluelo v Barcelona
Richarlison v Serbia
Russo v Sweden
Oleksy v Stal Rzeszów
Payet v PAOK
Vote on FIFA+ 👉 https://t.co/fvDTVU4BSI
— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) January 12, 2023