Barcelona’s Lionel Messi missed out on the final three shortlist for this year’s FIFA Football awards for the first time since 2006.
The five time joint record holder in Ballon D’or awards with Cristiano Ronlado failed to compete with his compatriot since the two of them have shared the award between each other from 2008 till date.
It also remains the first time since the three best players in the world according to FIFA will assemble without the Argentine who won the double in Spain last season with Barcelona.
Messi did have a dismal world cup campaign with Argentina who were eliminated in the round of sixteen by eventual winners, France.
Other award categories shortlists revealed included women player of the season, coaches of the season for both men and women, the Puskas Award for the best goal of the year and the fan award.
Below is a full catalog of the award final nominees:
Men’s Player
Cristiano Ronaldo (POR/Juventus, formerly Real Madrid)
Luka Modric (CRO/Real Madrid)
Mohamed Salah (EGY/Liverpool)
Women’s Player
Ada Hegerberg (NOR/Olympique Lyon Feminin)
Dzsenifer Marozsan (GER/Olympique Lyon Feminin)
Marta (BRA/Orlando Pride)
Men’s Coach
Zlatko Dalic (CRO/Croatia national team)
Didier Deschamps (FRA/France national team)
Zinedine Zidane (FRA/formerly Real Madrid)
Women’s Coach
Reynald Pedros (FRA/Olympique Lyon Feminin)
Asako Takakura (JPN/Japan women’s national team)
Sarina Wiegman (NED/Netherlands women’s national team)
Goalkeeper
Thibaut Courtois (BEL/Real Madrid, formerly Chelsea)
Hugo Lloris (FRA/Tottenham Hotspur)
Kasper Schmeichel (DEN/Leicester City)
Puskás Award
Gareth Bale (Real Madrid)
Denis Cheryshev (Russia)
Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (AEK Athens)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid)
Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Cruzeiro)
Riley McGree (Newcastle Jets)
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Benjamin Pavard (France)
Ricardo Quaresma (Portugal)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Fan Award
Sebastián Carrera (CD Puerto Montt)
Japan and Senegal supporters
Peru supporters
