SUPER Falcons of Nigeria goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie has been named as a nominee for the Best FIFA Awards, with Ousmane Dembele and Lamine Yamal rekindling their Ballon d’Or rivalry.
Nnadozie has been one of the best goalkeepers in the world in the last two years, winning the African Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year award back to back and finishing fourth in this year’s Ballon d’Or ranking.
The Brighton star has now been included among the seven nominees for The Best FIFA Goalkeeper of the Year prize.
Nnadozie is up against Ballon d’Or winner Hannah Hampton of England and Chelsea,
Ann-Katrin Berger ofGermany and Gotham FC, Cata Coll of Spain and Barcelona, Christiane Endler of Chile and Olympique Lyonnais, Anna Moorhouse of England and Orlando Pride, and Phallon Tullis-Joyce of USA and Manchester United.
There are 11 nominees battling for the biggest prize — the Men’s Player of the Year — with Harry Kane, Cole Palmer and Kylian Mbappe among those in contention against Ballon d’Or winner Dembele and runner-up Yamal.
Mohamed Salah, Achraf Hakimi, Nuno Mendes, Pedri, Raphinha and Vitinha are also nominated.
UEFA Champions League winner with Paris Saint-Germain Luis Enrique leads the nominations for Men’s Coach of the Year, competing with Javier Aguirre of Mexico, Mikel Arteta of Arsena, Hansi Flick of Barcelona, Chelsea’s Enzo Maresca, Roberto Martínez of Portugal and Arne Slot of Liverpool.
A panel of experts on women’s football, representing various FIFA and external football stakeholders, compiled a shortlist of 11 female players for The Best FIFA Women’s Player, five women’s football coaches for The Best FIFA Women’s Coach and five female goalkeepers for The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper.
A panel of men’s football specialists have drawn up equivalent male shortlists for The Best FIFA Men’s Player, The Best FIFA Men’s Coach and The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper.
National team coaches and captains will vote for their top three nominees in each category, from where the winners will emerge.
NOMINEES
The Best FIFA Women’s Player nominees
– Sandy Baltimore, France and Chelsea
– Nathalie Björn, Sweden and Chelsea
– Aitana Bonmatí, Spain and Barcelona
– Lucy Bronze, England and Chelsea
– Mariona Caldentey, Spain and Arsenal
– Temwa Chawinga, Malawi and Kansas City Current
– Kadidiatou Diani, France and Olympique Lyonnais
– Melchie Dumornay, Haiti and Olympique Lyonnais
– Patri Guijarro, Spain and Barcelona
– Lindsey Heaps, USA and Olympique Lyonnais
– Lauren James, England and Chelsea
– Chloe Kelly, England and Manchester City/Arsenal
– Ewa Pajor, Poland and Barcelona
– Clàudia Pina, Spain and Barcelona
– Alexia Putellas, Spain and Barcelona
– Alessia Russo, England and Arsenal
– Leah Williamson, England and Arsenal
The Best FIFA Men’s Player nominees
– Ousmane Dembélé, France and Paris Saint-Germain
– Achraf Hakimi, Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain
– Harry Kane, England and FC Bayern München
– Kylian Mbappé, France and Real Madrid
– Nuno Mendes, Portugal and Paris Saint-Germain
– Cole Palmer, England and Chelsea
– Pedri, Spain and Barcelona
– Raphinha, Brazil and Barcelona
– Mohamed Salah, Egypt and Liverpool
– Vitinha, Portugal and Paris Saint-Germain
– Lamine Yamal, Spain and Barcelona
The Best FIFA Women’s Coach nominees
– Sonia Bompastor, Chelsea
– Jonatan Giráldez, Washington Spirit/Olympique Lyonnais
– Seb Hines, Orlando Pride
– Renée Slegers, Arsenal
– Sarina Wiegman, England
The Best FIFA Men’s Coach nominees
– Javier Aguirre, Mexico
– Mikel Arteta, Arsenal
– Luis Enrique, Paris Saint-Germain
– Hansi Flick, Barcelona
– Enzo Maresca, Chelsea
– Roberto Martínez, Portugal
– Arne Slot, Liverpool
The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper nominees
– Ann-Katrin Berger, Germany and Gotham FC
– Cata Coll, Spain and Barcelona
– Christiane Endler, Chile and Olympique Lyonnais
– Hannah Hampton, England and Chelsea
– Anna Moorhouse, England and Orlando Pride
– Chiamaka Nnadozie, Nigeria and Paris FC/Brighton & Hove Albion
– Phallon Tullis-Joyce, USA and Manchester United
The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper nominees
– Alisson Becker, Brazil and Liverpool
– Thibaut Courtois, Belgium and Real Madrid
– Gianluigi Donnarumma, Italy and Paris Saint-Germain/Manchester City
– Emiliano Martínez, Argentina and Aston Villa
– Manuel Neuer, Germany and FC Bayern München
– David Raya, Spain and Arsenal
– Yann Sommer, Switzerland and Internazionale Milano
– Wojciech Szczęsny, Poland and Barcelona
FIFA Fan Award nominees
– Alejandro Ciganotto (ARG)
– Manolo el del Bombo (ESP) (posthumous)
– Zakho fans (IRQ)