FIFA has announced the preliminary nominees for The Best FIFA awards which take into account the past World Cup in Qatar until August of 2023. The award ceremony began back in 2017 and is FIFA’s response to the Ballon d’Or by France Football.
Fan voting began on September 14th on FIFA’s digital platforms and will end at midnight CET on October 6th. The categories that fans can vote on are as follows: Best Women’s Player, Best Male player, Best Men’s head coach, Best Women’s head coach, Best Men’s goalkeeper, Best Women’s goalkeeper, and FIFA Fan Award.
Last year’s best male and female soccer players are Lionel Messi and Alexia Putellas, the shortlist of names is selected by a panel of experts that consist of Alexi Lalas, Kaka, Mario Kempes, Mia Hamm, Manon Melis, Roque Santa Cruz, among others.
The Best FIFA 2023 nominees
The Best FIFA Women’s Player Nominees
Aitana Bonmatí (Spain / FC Barcelona); Linda Caicedo (Colombia / Real Madrid CF); Rachel Daly (England / Aston Villa Ladies FC); Kadidiatou Diani (France / Olympique Lyonnais / Paris Saint-Germain prior to Aug 2023); Caitlin Foord (Australia / Arsenal WFC); Mary Fowler (Australia / Manchester City WFC); Alex Greenwood (England / Manchester City WFC); Jennifer Hermoso (Spain / CF Pachuca Femenil); Lindsey Horan (USA / Olympique Lyonnais); Amanda Ilestedt (Sweden / Arsenal WFC / Paris Saint-Germain (FRA) prior to June 2023); Lauren James (England / Chelsea FC); Sam Kerr (Australia / Chelsea FC); Mapi León (Spain / FC Barcelona); Hinata Miyazawa (Japan / Mynavi Sendai); Salma Paralluelo (Spain / FC Barcelona); Keira Walsh (England / FC Barcelona).
The Best FIFA Men’s Player Nominees
Julián Álvarez (Argentina / Manchester City FC); Marcelo Brozović (Croatia / FC Internazionale Milano /Al Nassr FC); Kevin De Bruyne (Belgium / Manchester City FC); İlkay Gündoğan (Germany / Manchester City FC /FC Barcelona); Erling Haaland (Norway / Manchester City FC); Rodrigo (Rodri) Hernández Cascante (Spain / Manchester City FC); Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Georgia / SSC Napoli); Kylian Mbappé (France / Paris Saint-Germain); Lionel Messi (Argentina / Paris Saint-Germain /Club Internacional de Fútbol Miami); Victor Osimhen (Nigeria / SSC Napoli); Declan Rice (England / West Ham United FC /Arsenal FC); Bernardo Silva (Portugal / Manchester City FC).
The Best FIFA Women’s Coach Nominees
Peter Gerhardsson (Sweden): Jonatan Giráldez (Spain / FC Barcelona); Tony Gustavsson (Sweden / Australia); Emma Hayes (England / Chelsea FC); Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands / England).
The Best FIFA Men’s Coach Nominees
Pep Guardiola (Spain / Manchester City FC); Simone Inzaghi (Italy/ FC Internazionale Milano); Ange Postecoglou (Australia / Celtic FC /Tottenham Hotspur); Luciano Spalletti (Italy /SSC Napoli); Xavi (Spain / FC Barcelona).
The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper Nominees
Mackenzie Arnold (Australia / West Ham United FC); Ann-Katrin Berger (Germany / Chelsea FC); Catalina Coll (Spain / FC Barcelona); Mary Earps (England / Manchester United); Christiane Endler (Chile / Olympique Lyonnais); Zećira Mušović (Sweden / Chelsea FC); Sandra Paños García-Villamil (Spain / FC Barcelona).
The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper Nominees
Yassine Bounou (Morocco / Sevilla FC); Thibaut Courtois (Belgium / Real Madrid CF); Ederson (Brazil / Manchester City FC); André Onana (Cameroon / FC Internazionale Milano /Manchester United FC); Marc-André ter Stegen (Germany / FC Barcelona).
The FIFA Fan Award Nominees
Club Atlético Colón de Santa Fe fan (Argentina); Fran Hurndall (England); Miguel Ángel, Millonarios fan (Colombia).
