Lionel Messi on FIFA shortlist for best player award

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Lionel Messi on FIFA shortlist for best player award

Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after Argentina's win over France in the final in Lusail, Qatar, on Dec. 18, 2022. | REUTERS

REUTERS

Jan 13, 2023

Argentina featured heavily in shortlists for various FIFA awards following its World Cup triumph, with forwards Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez, goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez and coach Lionel Scaloni receiving nominations in their categories.

Messi was also among the 14 players on the shortlist for the Best FIFA Men’s Player award, a list that also includes Kylian Mbappe, his teammate at Paris St. Germain, and Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

The trio is joined by Robert Lewandowski of Barcelona, last year’s winner, Manchester City playmaker Kevin De Bruyne, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah and PSG’s Neymar and Achraf Hakimi. Real Madrid’s Karim Benzema, who won the 2022 Ballon d’Or award, is also in the shortlist.

Barca and Arsenal dominated the women’s nominations with three players each. Alexia Putellas, Keira Walsh and Aitana Bonmati were named from Spanish champions, while the English side is represented by Leah Williamson, Vivianne Miedema and Beth Mead.

Putellas makes it into the shortlist despite missing much of last year due to a knee ligament injury.

Chelsea duo Sam Kerr and Jessie Fleming and Olympique Lyonnais’ Ada Hegerberg and Wendie Renard also made the cut.

Sarina Wiegman, who led England to last year’s European Championship title, 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.

Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, Real Madrid’s Thibaut Courtois and Aston Villa’s Martinez are among the nominees for The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper award.

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.