Football’s world governing body announced on Friday that Argentina skipper and Qatar World Cup Golden Ball winner Lionel Messi is again on the awards shortlist – this time for the FIFA Best Male Player award, along with Paris St Germain teammate Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.
The trio are competing to succeed Robert Lewandowski, winner of the FIFA award in 2020 and 2021, consecutively.
The bells will toll again for Argentine Messi should he win his second The Best trophy after leading Argentina to their third World Cup title by beating Mbappe’s France in the recently-concluded final in Qatar, amassing seven goals during the tournament and earning his second Golden Ball award.
World Cup Golden Boot winner Mbappe and France’s 2022 Ballon d’Or winner Benzema feature for the first time among the three finalists.
The winners – who will be voted for by a jury made up of national team coaches and captains as well as journalists and fans – will be revealed on February 27 in Paris.
Prizes will also be available for the best male and female coach, the best goalkeeper and the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2022.