U.S. national team standouts Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan and head coach Jill Ellis were named finalists for the Best FIFA Football Awards Monday.
The winners will be named at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Italy Sept. 23.
The trio played important roles in the U.S. capturing its second consecutive Women’s World Cup and fourth overall this summer.
This season’s nominees were revealed at a media event held at the San Siro stadium in the presence of FIFA legends Laura Georges, Patrizia Panico, Santiago Solari and Gianluca Zambrotta.
The shortlisted candidates are:
The Best FIFA Men’s Player
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Juventus)
Lionel Messi (Argentina/Barcelona)
Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands/Liverpool)
The Best FIFA Women’s Player
Lucy Bronze (England/Olympique Lyonnais)
Alex Morgan (USA/Orlando Pride)
Megan Rapinoe (USA/Reign FC)
The Best FIFA Men’s Coach
Pep Guardiola (Spain/Manchester City)
Jürgen Klopp (Germany/Liverpool)
Mauricio Pochettino (Argentina/Tottenham Hotspur)
The Best FIFA Women’s Coach
Jill Ellis (USA/USA national team)
Phil Neville (England/English national team)
Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands/Dutch national team)
The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper
Alisson Becker (Brazil/Liverpool)
Ederson (Brazil/Manchester City)
Marc-André ter Stegen (Germany/Barcelona)
The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper
Christiane Endler (Chile/Paris Saint-Germain)
Hedvig Lindahl (Sweden/Chelsea/VfL Wolfsburg)
Sari van Veenendaal (Netherlands/Arsenal/Atlético Madrid)
FIFA Puskás Award
Lionel Messi (ARG) – Real Betis v. FC Barcelona [La Liga] (17 March 2019)
Juan Fernando Quintero (COL) – River Plate v. Racing Club [Superliga Argentina] (10 February 2019
Dániel Zsóri (HUN) – Debrecen FC v Ferencváros TC [Hungarian First Division] (16 February 2019)
FIFA Fan Award*
Silvia Grecco (Brazilian mother who vividly describes Palmeiras matches to her blind son).
Netherlands fans (the incredible Dutch fans at the FIFA Women’s World Cup France 2019).
Justo Sánchez (Uruguayan father who does not miss a single game of his team’s rival in loving memory of his deceased son).
* FIFA.com users have until 23 September to vote for their favourite and determine the winner of the FIFA Fan Award.
The shortlist of 55 names for the FIFA FIFPro Men’s World11 will be announced on FIFA’s and FIFPro’s digital channels Thursday.
For the first time, footballers from around the world will also vote for a FIFA FIFPro Women’s World11. The 55-name shortlist of which will be revealed Wednesday
