Messi, Ronaldo among the ten male players shortlisted for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021, Puskás Award nominees will be announced later
By Kehinde Okeowo
The Best FIFA football awards for 2021 nominees have been unveiled by FIFA,
The football governing body will announce the three finalists in each of the seven categories in January.
The candidates for each award were selected by expert panels in women’s and men’s football. Public voting has already been launched on FIFA.com and will close on 10 December.
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Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are among an outstanding list of candidates which also included Mohamed Salah, Robert Lewandowski, Kylian Mbappé, and Stina Blackstenius (In the women category), competing to win the Best 2021 FIFA awards.
Roberto Mancini, Pep Guardiola, Thomas Tuchel, and Diego Simeone are among the finalists in the male coaching category
Nominees for various categories are as follows:
The Best Men’s players
Karim Benzema (France / Real Madrid)
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium / Manchester City)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Juventus / Manchester United)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland / Bayern Munich)
Lionel Messi (Argentina / Barcelona / Paris Saint-Germain)
Neymar (Brazil / Paris Saint-Germain)
Erling Haaland (Norway / Borussia Dortmund)
Jorginho (Italy / Chelsea)
N’Golo Kanté (France / Chelsea)
Kylian Mbappé (France / Paris Saint-Germain)
Mohamed Salah (Egypt / Liverpool)
The Best Women’s player:
Stina Blackstenius (Sweden / Häcken)
Aitana Bonmati (Spain / Barcelona)
Lucy Bronze (England / Manchester City)
Magdalena Eriksson (Sweden / Chelsea)
Caroline Graham-Hansen (Norway / Barcelona)
Pernille Harder (Denmark / Chelsea)
Jennifer Hermoso (Spain / Barcelona)
Ji So-yun (Republic of Korea / Chelsea)
Sam Kerr (Australia / Chelsea)
Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands / Arsenal)
Ellen White (England / Manchester City)
Alexia Putellas (Spain / FC Barcelona)
Christine Sinclair (Canada / Portland Thorns)
The Best Men’s Goalkeeper:
Alisson Becker (Brazil / Liverpool)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy / Milan / Paris Saint-Germain)
Édouard Mendy (Senegal / Chelsea)
Manuel Neuer (Germany / Bayern Munich)
Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark / Leicester City)
The Best Women’s Coach:
Lluís Cortés (Spain / Barcelona)
Peter Gerhardsson (Sweden / Sweden)
Emma Hayes (England / Chelsea)
Beverly Priestman (England / Canada)
Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands / Netherlands/England)
The Best Men’s Coach:
Antonio Conte (Italy / Inter / Tottenham)
Hansi Flick (Germany / Bayern / Germany)
Pep Guardiola (Spain / Manchester City)
Roberto Mancini (Italy / Italy)
Lionel Sebastián Scaloni (Argentina / Argentina)
Diego Simeone (Argentina / Atlético Madrid)
Thomas Tuchel (Germany / Chelsea)
The Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany / Chelsea)
Christiane Endler (Chile / Paris Saint-Germain / Lyon)
Stephanie Lynn Marie Labbé (Canada / FC Rosengård / Paris Saint-Germain)
Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden / Atlético Madrid)
Alyssa Naeher (USA / Chicago Red Stars)
However, candidates for the best goal of the year (Puskás Award) will be announced at a later date.
Additional report from as soccer.