Lionel Messi nominate for UEFA Best Player in Europe award last season
Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain, who left Europe to play for Inter Miami, will face Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, colleagues at Manchester City. In its twelve-year history, Messi has received the UEFA award twice, both times while Barcelona was the European champion. Last year, Man City took home the Champions League championship.
After guiding Man City to the Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup victories, Pep Guardiola is the front-runner for the men’s coaching award. Both Luciano Spalletti of Napoli and Simone Inzaghi of Inter Milan, who led their squads to the Italian league title and the Champions League final, were also nominated.
The Champions League draw will reveal the winners on August 31 in Monaco.
Following the Women’s World Cup, Uefa announced that the shortlists for the women’s player and coaching awards would be revealed. In Australia’s championship game on Sunday, England will take against Spain.
Despite scoring an array of goals at the 2018 World Cup, including three in the championship match against Argentina, Kylian Mbappé, a former teammate of Messi’s at Paris Saint-Germain, finished sixth in the coaches and journalists’ voting for the best player in Europe.
The goal that determined the Champions League final was scored by Rodri and lkay Gündoan of Man City, who were ranked above Mbappé.
Marcelo Brozovi, the sole Inter player to receive votes, came in eighth. Since then, the midfielder from Croatia has switched to the Saudi league.
