November 29 – Lionel Messi may have had a stellar career and been the world’s best player for many illustrious years, but at 37, does he still genuinely merit being nominated by FIFA for their Best Player award or has the organisation thrown his name into the hat just to make sure they have all bases covered?
Messi’s Inter Miami have squeezed through the back door into next summer’s Club World Cup, Gianni Infantino’s pet project, so maybe FIFA are keen to keep his name up in lights based on past record and reputation.
It’s worth recalling that Messi wasn’t even in the top 30 shortlist for the equally if not more prestigious Ballon d’Or shortlist but has somehow made it into FIFA’s. He is however a long time FIFA favourite, having won the Best award in 2019, 2022 and 2023.
The Argentina and Barcelona legend is seeing out his career in Major League Soccer and is the only player not based in Europe included on the shortlist.
He may have scored 20 goals as Inter Miami won the Eastern Conference but was on the losing side in the MLS Cup play-offs as Atlanta United pulled off a surprise result.
FIFA’s determination to include him in their competitions was nevertheless demonstrated when they rewarded Inter Miami’s regular season success with a spot at the expanded Club World Cup, delivering a snub to both Western Conference champions LAFC and whoever is eventually crowned MLS Cup champions on December 7.
Sure you could argue that Messi is still a massive draw and won the Copa America with Argentina. But his long-term rival, Cristiano Ronaldo, who in 2023-24 scored 50 goals scored in 51 games for Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, doesn’t make the FIFA shortlist. There is also no place for Egypt’s in-form Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah.
The men’s prize is dominated by players from Spain’s La Liga with Vinicius Jr heavily tipped to win having missed out on the Ballon d’Or when he was beaten by Manchester City’s Rodri.
The FIFA award will be decided by an equally weighted split between fans, current captains and coaches of all women’s and men’s national teams, plus media representatives.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola, who won coach of the year in 2023, is again nominated, alongside Real Madrid’s Carlo Ancelotti, Bayer Leverkusen’s Xabi Alonso, Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni and Spain national team boss Luis de la Fuente.
The ceremony is set to take place in January as the award takes into consideration the entire calendar year unlike the Ballon d’Or, which now goes season by season. However, fans alone will decide the FIFA Fan Award, while an expert panel will determine the FIFA Fair Play Award. Voting closes on Dec 10
For the first time FIFA has introduced the Marta Award, which will recognise the best goal scored in women’s football. This award complements the FIFA Puskás Award, which celebrates the best goal scored in men’s football.
However, fans alone will decide the FIFA Fan Award, while an expert panel will determine the FIFA Fair Play Award. Voting closes on December 10 on FIFA’s website.
The Best FIFA Men’s Player nominees
Dani Carvajal (Spain), Real Madrid
Erling Haaland (Norway), Manchester City
Federico Valverde (Uruguay), Real Madrid
Florian Wirtz (Germany), Bayer Leverkusen
Jude Bellingham (England), Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappe (France), Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid
Lamine Yamal (Spain), Barcelona
Lionel Messi (Argentina), Inter Miami
Rodri (Spain), Manchester City
Toni Kroos (Germany), Real Madrid (now retired)
Vinicius Jr (Brazil), Real Madrid
The Best FIFA Women’s Player nominees
Aitana Bonmati (Spain), Barcelona
Barbra Banda (Zambia), Shanghai Shengli/Orlando Pride
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway), Barcelona
Keira Walsh (England), Barcelona
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica), Manchester City
Lauren Hemp (England), Manchester City
Lindsey Horan (USA), Olympique Lyonnais
Lucy Bronze (England), Barcelona/Chelsea
Mallory Swanson (USA), Chicago Red Stars
Mariona Caldentey (Spain), Barcelona/Arsenal
Naomi Girma (USA), San Diego Wave
Ona Batlle (Spain), Barcelona
Salma Paralluelo (Spain), Barcelona
Sophia Smith (USA), Portland Thorns
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi), Paris Saint-Germain/Olympique Lyonnais
Trinity Rodman (USA), Washington Spirit
The Best FIFA Women’s Coach nominees
Arthur Elias (Brazil), Brazil
Elena Sadiku (Sweden), Celtic
Emma Hayes (England), Chelsea/USA
Futoshi Ikeda (Japan), Japan
Gareth Taylor (England), Manchester City
Jonatan Giraldez (Spain), Barcelona/Washington Spirit
Sandrine Soubeyrand (France), Paris FC
Sonia Bompastor (France), Olympique Lyonnais/Chelsea
The Best FIFA Men’s Coach nominees
Carlo Ancelotti (Italy), Real Madrid
Lionel Scaloni (Argentina), Argentina
Luis de la Fuente (Spain), Spain
Pep Guardiola (Spain), Manchester City
Xabi Alonso (Spain), Bayer Leverkusen
The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper nominees
Alyssa Naeher (USA), Chicago Red Stars
Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany), Chelsea/NJ/NY Gotham
Ayaka Yamashita (Japan), INAC Kobe Leonessa/Manchester City
Cata Coll (Spain), Barcelona
Mary Earps (England), Manchester United/Paris Saint-Germain
The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper nominees
Andriy Lunin (Ukraine), Real Madrid
David Raya (Spain), Arsenal
Ederson (Brazil), Manchester City
Emiliano Martinez (Argentina), Aston Villa
Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy), Paris Saint-Germain
Mike Maignan (France), AC Milan
Unai Simon (Spain), Athletic Club
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