The Best FIFA Football Awards
Real Madrid players dominate the list of nominees for The Best FIFA Men’s Player, which is one of a host of prizes to be handed out today at The Best FIFA Football Awards 2024.
Six of the 10 Best Men’s Player finalists have played for the LaLiga giants in the last 12 months: Dani Carvajal, Fede Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Vinícius Júnior, Kylian Mbappé and the now retired Toni Kroos are all in with a chance of scooping the gong. They are joined on the list of contenders by Manchester City duo Erling Haaland and Rodri, Barcelona starlet Lamine Yamal, Inter Miami superstar Lionel Messi and Bayer Leverkusen playmaker Florian Wirtz.
Messi was last year’s winner and is chasing the prize for a third successive year.
As for The Best FIFA Women’s Player, the list is dominated by Barcelona and Spain players, with Aitana Bonmatí, Mariona Caldentey (now of Arsenal), Ona Battle and Salma Paralluelo all nominated.
Three more Barça stars, Caroline Graham Hansen, Keira Walsh and Lucy Bronze (who has since left for Chelsea) are also up for the award.
Barcelona dominance at The Best FIFA Football Awards is nothing new in the women’s game, with Alexia Putellas’ back-to-back victories in 2021 and 2022 followed by Bonmatí winning last year.
However, five USWNT players will be hoping to gatecrash, with Lindsey Horan, Mallory Swanson, Naomi Girma, Sophia Smith and Trinity Rodman all in contention.
Awards will also be given for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach, The Best FIFA Women’s Coach, The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper and The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper.
Among the coaches, Spain’s Euro 2024-winning manager Luis de la Fuente and Carlo Ancelotti, who lifted the Champions League with Real Madrid, are the frontrunners, competing against other finalists Xabi Alonso (Leverkusen), Pep Guardiola (Man City), and Lionel Scaloni (Argentina).
On the women’s side, Jonatan Giráldez, who won four trophies with Barcelona before moving to Washington Spirit, is among the top contenders, as is USWNT coach Emma Hayes.
There is also strong Spanish representation among the goalkeepers, with Unai Simón and David Raya among the men’s finalists, and Cata Coll up for the women’s prize. The Barça stopper will go up against USWNT veteran Alyssa Naeher.
One soccer supporter will pick up the FIFA Fan Award, while a panel of experts will decide the recipient of the FIFA Fair Play Award. The winners of the new FIFA Marta Award (for best women’s goal) and the FIFA Puskás Award (best men’s goal) will be chosen by fans and a panel of FIFA Legends.
The prize recipients are determined by votes from captains, coaches, journalists and fans, which all have equal weight. Fans were able to choose their winners on FIFA.com, with the voting deadline passing on 10 December.
Fans were able to vote in all categories, with the exception of the FIFA Fair Play Award.
The prize ceremony’s 2024 edition is being held today, Tuesday December 17, in Doha, Qatar. It is scheduled to begin at 12 noon ET/9 a.m. PT, and will be broadcast live on FIFA.com. You’ll also be able to follow AS USA’s live-text coverage of the event.
The Best FIFA Awards 2024
FIFA Intercontinental Cup
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