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No African for 2019 FIFA’s Best Player Award

By Paul Oluwakoya On Sep 3, 2019 0

FIFA has snubbed African Superstar for ‘The Best Men’s Player 2019′ coming up by next month in Italy.

The football governing body on Monday announced the official three-man shortlist for The Best Men’s Player 2019, and dropped the reigning African superstar Mohamed Salah.

The finalists for the Puskas Award, the Goalkeeper of the Year and Coach of the Year accolades were also revealed.Salah, Mane, Aubameyang Share Premier League Golden Boot

The 10-man shortlist for The Best Fifa Men’s Player 2019 award was announced on 31 July, and it has now been cut down to the final three contenders without Salah making the final shortlist.

The award is based on achievements during the period from 16 July 2018 to 19 July 2019, with the initial 10-man shortlist being compiled by a panel of experts.

Voting was then opened to four voting panels, made up fans, journalists, national coaches, and coaches, who voted for their top three.

On Monday, Fifa announced the three finalists, namely Virgil van Dijk, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Egyptian superstar Salah, though, was snubbed despite winning the Uefa Champions League with Liverpool and also claiming his second Premier League Golden Boot.

Van Dijk is the favourite to replace last year’s winner Luka Modric after he was named the Uefa Men’s Player of the Year last week.

Ronaldo and Messi have both won the award five times, and it remains to be seen whether or not Van Dijk can beat them to the prestigious accolade or if one of the superstar duo will become the first player to win the prize a sixth time.

Meanwhile, the three final nominees for the The Best Goalkeeper award are Alisson Becker (Liverpool), Ederson (Manchester City) and Marc-Andre ter Stegen (FC Barcelona).

The finalists for the Coach of the Year award are Jurgen Klopp (Liverpool), Pep Guardiola (Manchester City) and Mauricio Pochettino (Tottenham Hotspur).

Messi was also named among the finalists for the prestigious Fifa Puskas Award, with his strike against Real Betis from last season being named one of the three best goals, alongside strikes from Juan Fernando Quintero (River Plate) and Daniel Zsori (Debrecen).

The three final nominees for Fifa’s The Best Women’s Player award are Lucy Bronze (Olympique Lyon), Alex Morgan (Orlando Pride) and Megan Rapinoe (Seattle Reign).

All winners will be announced during the Fifa awards gala on 23 September in Milan, Italy.

AFRICANS ON FIFA SHORTLIST

2013: Toure
2012: Drogba, Toure
2011: Eto’o
2010: Drogba, Eto’o, Gyan
2009: Drogba, Eto’o, Essien
2008: Eto’o, Drogba, Adebayor
2007: Drogba, Eto’o, Essien
2006: Eto’o, Drogba, Essien
2005: Eto’o, Drogba, Essien, JJ Okocha
2004: Drogba, Eto’o

The previous nine lists have featured Eto’o and