THE SHORTLIST FOR the Best Fifa Men’s Player award has been announced today, with Lionel Messi up against the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Eden Hazard for this year’s prize.
Liverpool trio Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Virgil van Dijk are in contention after helping the Reds to glory in last season’s Champions League, while Matthijs de Ligt and Frenkie de Jong have been recognised for their part in helping Ajax to the semi-finals and to a domestic title.
There is no place for Antoine Griezmann, however. The Frenchman completed his long-awaited €120 million transfer to the Spanish champions in July but his 15-goal contribution to Atletico Madrid’s second-place finish in the 2018-19 LaLiga table was not enough to impress Fifa’s panel.
There is no place for 2018 winner and Ballon d’Or holder Luka Modric, nor his Real Madrid team-mate Gareth Bale, and Neymar misses out while Paris Saint-Germain colleague Kylian Mbappe is among the nominees.
Manchester City playmaker Bernardo Silva may wonder what more he must do to catch Fifa’s eye after his outstanding performances in a treble-winning season that preceded Portugal’s Nations League triumph.
While he misses out along with team-mates Raheem Sterling, Sergio Aguero and Riyad Mahrez – a winner of the Africa Cup of Nations with Algeria – Tottenham’s Harry Kane is in the running after his 24 goals in all competitions helped Spurs to their first Champions League final.
Sadio Mane scored 22 Premier League goals for Liverpool last season before netting three for Senegal in their run to the final of the Africa Cup of Nations.
The Best Fifa Men’s Player nominees
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus & Portugal)
- Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona & Netherlands)
- Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus & Netherlands)
- Eden Hazard (Real Madrid & Belgium)
- Harry Kane (Tottenham & England)
- Sadio Mane (Liverpool & Senegal)
- Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain & France)
- Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina)
- Mohmed Salah (Liverpool & Egypt)
- Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool & Netherlands)
