FIFA Best: Messi, Ronaldo, Van Dijk shortlisted for POTY award

Football’s world governing body, FIFA has revealed nominations for the 2019 Player of the Year award, with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Virgil van Dijk in the list.

The 10-man shortlist was published on the Fifa website on Wednesday, including nominations for the Best women’s player, men’s team coach and women’s team coach categories.

Liverpool forwards, Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah, who featured for Senegal and Egypt respectively at the just-concluded Africa Cup of Nations, were also shortlisted for the men’s prize.

Both Mane and Salah picked up the English Premier League’s Golden Boot award, along with Arsenal’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with 22 goals each.

Dutch centre-back Van Dijk, who was voted PFA Player of the Year, is a hot favourite for the FIFA award after his contribution to Liverpool’s UEFA Champions League triumph in June.

Read Also: AFCON 2019 winner Belmadi nominated for FIFA Best Coach award

Ronaldo, the winner of the maiden edition of FIFA The Best awards, is also a favourite after winning the Serie A title in his first season at Juventus, finishing as the Most Valuable Player in Italy, and helping Portugal to win the UEFA Nations League title.

On the 10-man shortlist were also England and Tottenham’s striker, Harry Kane; new Real Madrid forward, Eden Hazard; French star, Kylian Mbappe; Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong – both of Netherlands.

Meanwhile, in the women’s category, 2019 Women’s World Cup winners Julie Ertz, Rose Lavelle Vivianne Miedema, Alex Morgan and Megan Rapinoe made the shortlist.

England’s Lucy Bronze and Ellen White are also contenders for the award, alongside France’s Wendie Renard and Netherland’s Vivianne Miedema.

The winners will be revealed on 23 September, following a public vote.

Full men’s player shortlist
Virgil van Dijk, Netherlands
Sadio Mane, Senegal
Mohamed Salah, Egypt
Harry Kane, England
Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal
Lionel Messi, Argentina
Matthijs de Ligt, Netherlands
Frenkie de Jong, Netherlands
Kylian Mbappe, France
Eden Hazard, Belgium

Full women’s player shortlist
Lucy Bronze, England
Julie Ertz, United States
Caroline Graham Hansen, Sweden
Ada Hegerberg, Norway
Amandine Henry, France
Sam Kerr, Australia
Rose Lavelle, United States
Vivianne Miedema, Netherlands
Alex Morgan, United States
Megan Rapinoe, United States
Wendie Renard, France
Ellen White, England

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