Mbappe, Messi, Haaland nominated for Best FIFA Men’s Player award

Manchester City's Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe

Lionel Messi now has a chance of winning his third FIFA Men’s Player of the Year award after he was shortlisted among 12 players for this year’s recognition.

The Inter Miami CF star, who won the award in 2019 and 2022, also featured among the 30 players nominated last week for the 2023 Balon d’Or award, which he has won seven times.

Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Paris Saint-Germain’s Kylian Mbappe have also been shortlisted for the FIFA Men’s Player Award, while City’s Pep Guardiola has been nominated for Best Men’s Coach.

Haaland’s nomination came after his Manchester City side Won the 2022–23 English Premier League and the 2022–23 English FA Cup, as well as the 2022–23 UEFA Champions League.

Mbappe, on the other hand, stayed afloat in the French League 1 last season, emerging as the Best Player and Top Goal Scorer of the tournament, which was won by his team.

Half of the 12 nominees for the Best FIFA Men’s Player award are part of Manchester City’s 2022–23 treble-winning squad.

Players of the just-ended

FIFA Women’s World Cup dominated the list of nominees for the FIFA Best Women’s Player of the Year.

After winning the Golden Ball at the World Cup, Spain’s Aitana Bonmati is among 16 nominees for the women’s award. Four Spanish players were nominated for the award following the country’s victory at the just-ended Women’s World Cup.

The World Cup runners-up, England, has four of its players nominated for the women’s award, while Australia has three.

The nominees were selected by a panel of football experts that included former soccer stars, Didier Drogba and Mia Hamm.

Coaches, captains, journalists, and supporters of the national team will all participate in voting starting this Thursday. They will be able to vote for The Best FIFA Women’s Player; The Best FIFA Men’s Player; The Best FIFA Women’s Coach; The Best FIFA Men’s Coach; The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper; The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper, and The FIFA Fan Award between now and midnight CET on Friday, October 6.

Tata Mbunwe