FIFA announced the name of the ten finalists for The Best award, which recognizes the best player of 2021. Benzema sneaks into a cast of players in which there are other favorites such as Messi, Lewandowski or Jorginho. There are also other shining stars such as Cristiano Ronaldo, Haaland, Mbappé or Salah, although some have hardly any options to win the award, which will be awarded on January 17 through an online ceremony. The finalists are:
- Karim Benzema (France, Real Madrid)
- Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium / Manchester City)
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Juventus FC / Manchester United)
- Robert Lewandowski (Poland / Bayern)
- 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)
Two panels of experts – one from women’s soccer and the other from men’s soccer – selected the candidates in each of the categories. Public voting has already started on FIFA.com and will conclude on December 10.
In early January, FIFA will announce the three finalists in each of the seven categories mentioned. It was also announced that the list of candidates for the Puskás Award (awarded for best goal of the year) will be announced later.
In addition, in the coaches section, Guardiola and Simeone are finalists., but not They start as favorites in the presence of Mancini, who won the European Championship, or Tuchel, who won the Champions League.
The rest of the finalists for the other categories are:
Best player:
- Stina Blackstenius (Sweden / Häcken)
- Aitana Bonmati (Spain / Barcelona)
- Lucy Bronze (England / Manchester City)
- Magdalena Eriksson (Sweden / Chelsea Women)
- Caroline Graham-Hansen (Norway / Barcelona)
- Pernille Harder (Denmark / Chelsea Women)
- Jennifer Hermoso (Spain / Barcelona)
- Ji So-yun (Korea Republic / Chelsea Women)
- Sam Kerr (Australia / Chelsea Women)
- Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands / Arsenal)
- Ellen White (England / Manchester City)
- Alexia Putellas (Spain / FCBarcelona)
- Christine Sinclair (Canada / Portland Thorns)
Best Women’s Soccer Coach:
- Lluís Cortés (Spain / Barcelona)
- Peter Gerhardsson (Sweden / Sweden)
- Emma Hayes (England / Chelsea)
- Beverly Priestman (England / Canada)
- Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands / Netherlands / England)
Best Men’s Soccer 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 / Athletic)
- Thomas Tuchel (Germany / Chelsea FC)
Best FIFA goalkeeper
- Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany / Chelsea)
- Christiane Endler (Chile / Paris Saint-Germain / Olympique Lyonnais)
- Stephanie Lynn Marie Labbé (Canada / FC Rosengård / Paris Saint-Germain)
- Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden / Atlético de Madrid)
- Alyssa Naeher (USA / Chicago Red Stars)
Best FIFA goalkeeper
- Alisson Becker (Brazil / Liverpool)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy / Milan / Paris Saint-Germain)
- Édouard Mendy (Senegal / Chelsea)
- Manuel Neuer (Germany / FC Bayern München)
- Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark / Leichester City FC)
