LAUSANNE – Egypt and Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah has been nominated among the shortlist for the FIFA Best Player of the Year Award 2021.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo took their usual places on the 11-man shortlist with last year’s winner, Robert Lewandowski.
Neymar, Kylian Mbappe, Karim Benzema, Erling Haaland, N’Golo Kante, Jorginho and Kevin De Bruyne complete the list of potential winners.
The prizes for the best men’s and women’s player, coach and goalkeeper are voted for by the captains and coaches of all national teams around the world, as well as an online ballot of fans and a select number of journalists.
Voting will run until December 10.
The three finallists in each category will be revealed in early January, with the awards ceremony to be held virtually from FIFA headquarters in Zurich on January 17.
Four Barcelona players are included on the women’s best player shortlist – Alexia Putellas, Jennifer Hermoso, Aitana Bonmati and Caroline Graham Hansen.
Chelsea, beaten by Barcelona in last season’s Women’s Champions League final, also have four representatives with Sam Kerr, Ji So-yun, Magdalena Eriksson and Pernille Harder.
Lucy Bronze, who took home last year’s award, was nominated with fellow England international Ellen White.
Canada’s Olympic gold medallist Christine Sinclair is in contention too, as is Stina Blackstenius of Sweden.
Thomas Tuchel is a frontrunner for best men’s coach after leading Chelsea to the Champions League title. He faces competition from Roberto Mancini, the mastermind of Italy’s Euro 2020 triumph.
Other nominees are Hansi Flick, Pep Guardiola, Antonio Conte, Diego Simeone and Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni.
The separate Ballon d’Or award ceremony will be staged in Paris on November 29.
Full list of Best FIFA Men’s Player nominees:
Mohamed Salah (Egypt / Liverpool)
Karim Benzema (France / Real Madrid)
Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium / Man City)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Juventus / Man United)
Erling Haaland (Norway / Borussia Dortmund)
Jorginho (Italy / Chelsea)
N’Golo Kante (France / Chelsea)
Robert Lewandowski (Poland / Bayern Munchen)
Kylian Mbappe (France / Paris Saint-Germain)
Lionel Messi (Argentina / Barcelona / Paris Saint-Germain)
Neymar (Brazil / Paris Saint-Germain)
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