The football governing body FIFA announced the shortlist of the top 3 contenders of ‘The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2020’. Barcelona talisman Lionel Messi, Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo and Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski pipped their opponents to reserve the top spots. Reshmin Chowdhury and Ruud Gullit will hosts the mega event on Thursday, December 17. The 2020 ceremony of the FIFA Awards will be held as a virtual TV show, broadcasted from the Home of FIFA in Zurich
Earlier, on November 25, FIFA shortlisted the 11 players for the coveted trophy but Kevin De Bruyne, Sadio Mane, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar, Sergio Ramos, Mohamed Salah, Thiago Alcantara and Virgil van Dijk are out of the race.
Messi won The Best FIFA Men’s Player last year for his excellent run with Barcelona. Ronaldo has also claimed the trophy twice in 2016 and 2017 during his stint with Real Madrid. While Lewandowski, who is the top contender to win the trophy this time, has never won it earlier.
Recently after being shortlisted in top 11, Robert Lewandowski said it would be spectacular for him to win the trophy this year. The Pole had a dream season last year with Bayern Munich as he guided the German giants to treble.
“If you scored a lot of goals and won everything and were at the top, I don’t think there’s anyone I can compare myself to. I just focus and think about the next challenge, and so on. If I win the award, of course I will be happy because I know everything I did, that it was for the team, and I know that it will be a decision of the fans and the journalists who vote. It would be a unique feeling. If I won The Best it would be something spectacular for me and an award for the whole team, because I know how well we played. What we did last season, for me, was incredible and I think we were the best. We are the best, there is no doubt. And we want to stay in that place,” Lewandoski told Ole.
While, Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer, Liverpool’s Allison Becker and Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak were named as the finalists for The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper 2020.
In the finalists for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach 2020 – Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp, Bayern Munich’s Hans-Dieter Flick and Leeds United Marcelo Bielsa made into the top 3 spots.
