FIFA Releases Shortlist For The Best Football Awards 2021

Published

4 years ago

November 22, 2021

FIFA has revealed the candidates shortlisted for The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021, the winners of which will be revealed at an online ceremony on 17 January 2022.

Two expert panels – one for women’s football and one for men’s football – selected the candidates for each category.

The nominees are listed below in alphabetical order:

The Best FIFA Women’s Player:

Stina Blackstenius (Sweden / BK Häcken)
Aitana Bonmatí (Spain / FC Barcelona)
Lucy Bronze (England / Manchester City WFC)
Magdalena Eriksson (Sweden / Chelsea FC Women)
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway / FC Barcelona)
Pernille Harder (Denmark / Chelsea FC Women)
Jennifer Hermoso (Spain / FC Barcelona)
Ji Soyun (Korea Republic / Chelsea FC Women)
Sam Kerr (Australia / Chelsea FC Women)
Vivianne Miedema (Netherlands / Arsenal WFC)
Alexia Putellas (Spain / FC Barcelona)
Christine Sinclair (Canada / Portland Thorns FC)
Ellen White (England / Manchester City WFC)

The Best FIFA Men’s Player:

Karim Benzema (France / Real Madrid CF)

Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium / Manchester City FC)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Juventus FC / Manchester United FC)

Erling Haaland (Norway / BV Borussia 09 Dortmund)

Jorginho (Italy / Chelsea FC)

N’Golo Kanté (France / Chelsea FC)

Robert Lewandowski (Poland / FC Bayern München)

Kylian Mbappé (France / Paris Saint-Germain)

Lionel Messi (Argentina / FC Barcelona / Paris Saint-Germain)

Neymar (Brazil / Paris Saint-Germain)

Mohamed Salah (Egypt / Liverpool FC).

The Best FIFA Women’s Coach:

Lluís Cortés (Spain / FC Barcelona)

Peter Gerhardsson (Sweden / Swedish national team)

Emma Hayes (England / Chelsea FC Women)

Beverly Priestman (England / Canadian national team)

Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands / Dutch national team / English national team)

The Best FIFA Men’s Coach:

Antonio Conte (Italy / FC Internazionale Milano / Tottenham Hotspur FC)

Hansi Flick (Germany / FC Bayern München / German national team)

Pep Guardiola (Spain / Manchester City FC)

Roberto Mancini (Italy / Italian national team)

Lionel Sebastián Scaloni (Argentina / Argentinian national team)

Diego Simeone (Argentina / Atlético de Madrid)

Thomas Tuchel (Germany / Chelsea FC).

The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper:

Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany / Chelsea FC Women)

Christiane Endler (Chile / Paris Saint-Germain / Olympique Lyonnais)

Stephanie Lynn Marie Labbé (Canada / FC Rosengård / Paris Saint-Germain)

Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden / Atlético de Madrid Femenino)

Alyssa Naeher (USA / Chicago Red Stars).

The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper:

Alisson Becker (Brazil / Liverpool FC)

Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy / AC Milan / Paris Saint-Germain)

Édouard Mendy (Senegal / Chelsea FC)

Manuel Neuer (Germany / FC Bayern München)

Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark / Leicester City FC)

Public voting will run until 23:59 CET on 10 December 2021.

FIFA will announce the three finalists in each of the seven categories listed above in early January 2022.

(VANGUARD)

BREAKING: Liverpool Star Diogo Jota Is Dead

Published

20 minutes ago

July 3, 2025

Editor

Liverpool forward Diogo Jota has reportedly died in a car crash in Spain at the age of 28, according to Portuguese media and UK’s Daily Mail.

Jota was said to be travelling with his younger brother, André, a 26-year-old footballer, when their car was involved in a fatal accident on the A-52 highway in Zamora, in the Castilla y León region of Spain.

Emergency services confirmed the crash. A statement from authorities read, “The 1-1-2 Castilla y León operations room received several calls reporting a vehicle accident at Km. 65 of the A-52, in the municipality of Cernadilla, Zamora. A car was reported to have been involved in an accident and the vehicle was on fire.”

The tragic incident comes just two weeks after Jota married his longtime partner, Rute Cardoso, in a ceremony held in Porto.

Details later.

Sports

Chelsea Sign Brazilian Joao Pedro From Brighton

Published

18 hours ago

July 2, 2025

Editor

Chelsea signed Brazil striker Joao Pedro from Brighton in a deal worth a reported £60 million ($79 million) on Wednesday.

Pedro jetted to the United States, where Chelsea are playing in the Club World Cup, on Sunday after the terms of his eight-year contract were agreed.

With the transfer now confirmed following a medical, Pedro is available to play for Enzo Maresca’s side in their Club World Cup quarter-final against Palmeiras in Philadelphia.

FIFA has given clubs involved in the Club World Cup knockout phase until July 3 to register new players for the tournament.

“Everyone knows this is a big club with a great history,” Pedro said.

“They had brilliant players in the past and have brilliant players now, so I am excited to join and you know when you are a Chelsea player you must think one thing – win.”

Pedro, who joined Brighton for £30 million from Watford two years ago, scored 30 goals in 70 appearances for the Seagulls and has been capped three times by Brazil.

The 23-year-old missed Brighton’s final two matches of the season after being dropped due to a training ground altercation with team-mate Jan Paul van Hecke.

Pedro is the fourth player Chelsea have signed from Brighton in recent years after Moises Caicedo, Marc Cucurella and Robert Sanchez.

Chelsea, who qualified for next season’s Champions League, have already splashed out on striker Liam Delap, midfielder Dario Essugo and defender Mamadou Sarr since the end of last term.

Brazilian rising star Estevao Willian, 18, will join the Blues after his Club World Cup campaign with Palmeiras.

Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens could also be a Chelsea player soon after a deal worth up to a reported 65 million euros ($76 million) was agreed for the 20-year-old on Saturday.

AFP

Sports

Chelsea Agree Deal To Sign Brighton Forward Joao Pedro

Published

3 days ago

June 29, 2025

Editor

Chelsea’s forward options could be bolstered by the time they face Palmeiras in the Club World Cup quarter-finals on Friday after reportedly agreeing a deal with Brighton for Joao Pedro.

The Athletic reported the Brazilian international is on his way to the United States for a medical before joining up with the Chelsea squad after terms were struck for a transfer in excess of £50 million ($69 million).

Pedro, who joined Brighton for a then club record £30 million from Watford two years ago, scored 30 goals in 70 appearances for the Seagulls.

However, the 23-year-old missed Brighton’s final two matches of the season after being dropped due to a training ground altercation with team-mate Jan Paul van Hecke.

FIFA has given clubs involved in the Club World Cup knockout phase until July 3 to register new players for the tournament.

Borussia Dortmund winger Jamie Gittens could also be a Chelsea player by then after a deal worth up to a reported 65 million euros ($76 million) for the 20-year-old was agreed on Saturday.

Chelsea have already signed striker Liam Delap, midfielder Dario Essugo and defender Mamadou Sarr this summer.

Brazilian rising star Estevao Willian, 18, will also join the Premier League giants after his Club World Cup campaign with Palmeiras.