WORLD football governing body FIFA on Friday revealed the finalists for its biggest award.
The three contenders to vie for The Best FIFA Men’s Player award are Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski and Mohamed Salah.
Messi controversially beat Lewandowski to the Ballon d’Or prize in December, while Salah finished seventh.
Argentina captain Messi, who led his country to their first Copa America title in 28 years in 2021, is the only one among the three to have won the award multiple times previously, having claimed it six times, while Lewandowski won it last year.
Bayern Munich and Poland striker Lewandowski is the top scorer in the top European leagues in 2021, and Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Salah has consistently been one of the most in-form players in the world for the past few months.
The three finalists for the women’s award were also named on Friday.
Ballon d’Or winner Alexias Putellas and her Spanish compatriot Jennifer Hermoso are up for the prize along with Australian Sam Kerr.
In the men’s coach category, Pep Guardiola, Roberto Mancini and Thomas Tuchel are the finalists.
Guardiola led Manchester City to the Premier League title and the UEFA Champions League final, where they lost to Tuchel’s Chelsea.
Mancini coached Italy to the European Championship title in 2021, their first since 1968 and second ever.
The winners will be announced later in January.
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