SUPER Eagles striker Victor Osimhen has been named as one of the 13 nominees for The Best FIFA Football Awards men’s player of the year.
The nominees for various categories were announced by FIFA today, with the Nigeria international the only African in the biggest category.
Osimhen, who inspired Napoli to their first Serie A title in 33 years with his league-high 26 goals last season, is in the running for the award with Lionel Messi, as well as Manchester City trio Erling Haaland, Rodri and Kevin De Bruyne, among other contenders.
FIFA explained that the nominees were shortlisted by a panel of football experts who reviewed longer lists compiled by the governing body based on the candidates’ achievements during the respective award eligibility periods.
Performances at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand are reflected in The Best FIFA Women’s Player nominees as Adidas Golden Ball winner Aitana Bonmatí leads a quartet of nominees from champions Spain.
Four players from tournament runners-up England and a trio of Australia’s Matildas – who were a victory away from reaching the final on home soil – are also part of a 16-player shortlist.
Treble-winning Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is nominated for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach alongside four others, while the 2021 and 2022 winners of The Best FIFA Women’s Coach – Emma Hayes and Sarina Wiegman – feature among the quintet nominated in this category.
The winners of the major men’s and women’s categories will be selected by an international jury comprising the current coaches of all national teams (one per team), the current captains of all national teams (one per team), one specialist journalist from each territory represented by a national team and fans from all over the world registered on FIFA.com.
NOMINEES
The Best FIFA Women’s Player
Aitana Bonmatí (Spain); Linda Caicedo (Colombia); Rachel Daly (England); Kadidiatou Diani (France); Caitlin Foord (Australia); Mary Fowler (Australia); Alex Greenwood (England); Jennifer Hermoso (Spain); Lindsey Horan (USA); Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden); Lauren James (England); Sam Kerr (Australia); Mapi León (Spain); Hinata Miyazawa (Japan); Salma Paralluelo (Spain); Keira Walsh (England).
The Best FIFA Men’s Player
Julián Álvarez (Argentina); Marcelo Brozović (Croatia); Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium); İlkay Gündoğan (Germany); Erling Haaland (Norway); Rodrigo (Rodri) Hernández Cascante (Spain); Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia); Kylian Mbappé (France); Lionel Messi (Argentina); Victor Osimhen (Nigeria); Declan Rice (England); Bernardo Silva (Portugal).
The Best FIFA Women’s Coach
Peter Gerhardsson (Sweden): Jonatan Giráldez (Spain); Tony Gustavsson (Sweden); Emma Hayes (England); Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands).
The Best FIFA Men’s Coach
Pep Guardiola (Spain); Simone Inzaghi (Italy); Ange Postecoglou (Australia); Luciano Spalletti (Italy); Xavi (Spain).
The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper
Mackenzie Arnold (Australia); Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany); Catalina Coll (Spain); Mary Earps (England); Christiane Endler (Chile); Zećira Mušović (Sweden); Sandra Paños García-Villamil (Spain).
The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper
Yassine Bounou (Morocco); Thibaut Courtois (Belgium); Ederson (Brazil); André Onana (Cameroon); Marc-André ter Stegen (Germany).
The FIFA Fan Award
Club Atlético Colón de Santa Fe fan (Argentina); Fran Hurndall (England); Miguel Ángel, Millonarios fan (Colombia).
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