Soccer

The Best Awards: FIFA reveals shortlists for 2021 honors

A collection of world football’s biggest stars are up for some individual hardware, as FIFA revealed the nominees for its 2021 awards on Monday.

The Best FIFA Football Awards show – which will again be held virtually this year – will honor the top players in the game over the calendar year. The winners will be unveiled during a ceremony on Jan. 17, 2022.

Here are the shortlists for the marquee accolades:

Best Men’s Player

  • Karim Benzema (France and Real Madrid)
  • Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium and Manchester City)
  • Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal and Juventus/Manchester United)
  • Erling Haaland (Norway and Borussia Dortmund)
  • Jorginho (Italy and Chelsea)
  • N’Golo Kante (France and Chelsea)
  • Robert Lewandowski (Poland and Bayern Munich)
  • Kylian Mbappe (France and Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Lionel Messi (Argentina and Barcelona/Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Neymar (Brazil and Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Mohamed Salah (Egypt and Liverpool)

Best Women’s Player

  • Stina Blackstenius (Sweden and BK Hacken)
  • Aitana Bonmati (Spain and Barcelona)
  • Lucy Bronze (England and Manchester City)
  • Magdalena Eriksson (Sweden and Chelsea)
  • Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway and Barcelona)
  • Pernille Harder (Denmark and Chelsea)
  • Jennifer Hermoso (Spain and Barcelona)
  • Ji So-yun (Korea Republic and Chelsea)
  • Sam Kerr (Australia and Chelsea)
  • Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands and Arsenal)
  • Alexia Putellas (Spain and Barcelona)
  • Christine Sinclair (Canada and Portland Thorns)
  • Ellen White (England and Manchester City)

Best Men’s Coach

  • Antonio Conte (Inter Milan/Tottenham Hotspur)
  • Hansi Flick (Bayern Munich/Germany)
  • Pep Guardiola (Manchester City)
  • Roberto Mancini (Italy)
  • Lionel Scaloni (Argentina)
  • Diego Simeone (Atletico Madrid)
  • Thomas Tuchel (Chelsea)

Best Women’s Coach

  • Lluis Cortes (Barcelona)
  • Peter Gerhardsson (Sweden)
  • Emma Hayes (Chelsea)
  • Beverly Priestman (Canada)
  • Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands/England)

Best Men’s Goalkeeper

  • Alisson Becker (Brazil and Liverpool)
  • Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy and Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Edouard Mendy (Senegal and Chelsea)
  • Manuel Neuer (Germany and Bayern Munich)
  • Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark and Leicester City)

Best Women’s Goalkeeper

  • Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany and Chelsea)
  • Christiane Endler (Chile and Paris Saint-Germain/Lyon)
  • Stephanie Labbe (Canada and FC Rosengard/Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden and Atletico Madrid)
  • Alyssa Naeher (USA and Chicago Red Stars)

FIFA said it would release the candidates for the prestigious Puskas Award – handed out for the best goal of the year – at a later date.

The shortlists will all be trimmed down, with three finalists from each category to be chosen in early January before the silverware is doled out.