Mia Hamm has been named to a FIFA awards panel. (Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
U.S. soccer great Mia Hamm was among several men and women named to committees to decide the shortlisted candidates for the Best FIFA men’s and women’s players and coaches for the 2017-18 season, the organization announced Wednesday.
The men’s panel includes Ronaldo, Fabio Capello and Frank Lampard, while former players Sun Wen and Maia Jackman and Hamm form part of the women’s panel.
The judges will shortlist 10 candidates for each category, which will be unveiled July 23 as public voting will open on the same day.
Fans, national team captains, head coaches and more than 200 media representatives will cast their votes to decide who will be crowned the best players and coaches in the men’s and women’s games from last season.
London will host the awards ceremony Sept. 24.
At last year’s ceremony, Cristiano Ronaldo picked up the best men’s player award, the Netherlands’ Lieke Martens was crowned best women’s player, French icon Zinédine Zidane was named best men’s coach and the Netherlands’ Sarina Wiegman was best women’s coach.
Separate panels will shortlist candidates for the best FIFA goalkeeper award, the FIFA Puskás Award and the FIFA fan award, with the winner of the best FIFA goalkeeper award chosen by a panel of former players.
In recognition and celebration of soccer fans, the FIFA fan award, an appreciation of memorable moments created by fans, is voted by supporters. The FIFA Puskás Award, handed out to the player judged to have scored the best goal of the year, also is determined by fan votes.
