Last Update: January 13, 2023, 00:30 IST
Kylian Mbappe, Neymar and Lionel Messi (AP Image)
FIFA World Cup 2022 winner and best player Messi and top scorer Mbappe are among the favorites to win the prestigious award. Other nominees include PSG teammate Neymar, Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, holder Robert Lewandowski, Julian Alvarez, Kevin de Bruyne, Erling Haaland, Luka Modric, Vinicius Júnior, Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Jude Bellingham.
fresh from his stellar performance in World Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are among the nominees for last year’s FIFA best award, world football’s governing body announced on Thursday.
Messi, who has won the award once before, captained Argentina to victory in Qatar, a career-defining victory that has boosted his chances of winning an eighth Ballon d’Or but could also make him the favorite for the award. Huh.
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Apart from Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final, two more Paris Saint-Germain players have been named in Neymar and Achraf Hakimi.
Karim Benzema, who won the Ballon d’Or last year for his performances with Real Madrid, has also been nominated, as has Robert Lewandowski, winner of the FIFA award the past two years.
The shortlist is completed by Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland; Real Madrid duo of Luka Modric and Vinicius Junior; Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Jude Bellingham.
Alexia Putellas has been nominated for the women’s award despite being out for the last six months due to injury.
The Barcelona and Spain midfielder won the award last year and retained the Ballon d’Or in October.
Arsenal striker Beth Mead, Putella’s runner-up for the Ballon d’Or, has also been nominated, as have two other members of the England team that won the European Championship on home soil in Leah Williamson and Keira Walsh.
There are also awards for Best Men’s and Women’s Coach, Best Goalkeeper and the Puskás Award for Best Goal of 2022.
A public vote, running until February 3, will decide the three finalists in each category.
The winner is then voted for by a jury composed of national team coaches and captains, as well as journalists and fans.
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(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed)