Share

Neymar, Ronaldo, Messi on 'best player' shortlist

London - Neymar was named alongside Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi on the three-man shortlist for the Best FIFA Men's Player Award, which was announced in London on Friday.

Brazil superstar Neymar, 25, won the Copa del Rey with Barcelona last season before joining Paris Saint-Germain in a blockbuster 222 million euros ($266 million) move that smashed the world transfer record.

Ronaldo, 32, is the overwhelming favourite to win the award, having led Real Madrid to the La Liga title and a third Champions League success in four years last season.

He won last year's award after winning the Champions League with Madrid and the European Championship with Portugal.

Ronaldo previously won the FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2008 and is a four-time winner of the Ballon d'Or.

Messi, 30, scored 54 goals last season as Barcelona won the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup.

The Argentina great, a record five-time winner of the Ballon d'Or, has made a superb start to the current campaign, scoring 12 goals in his first eight appearances in all competitions.

Ronaldo won the inaugural Best FIFA Men's Player Award last year after a six-year merger between the FIFA honour and the Ballon d'Or.

The winner of the 2017 award will be announced during a ceremony at the London Palladium on October 23.

The voting for the award, equally weighted between national team captains, national team coaches, media and fans, closed earlier this month.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should the Proteas pick Faf du Plessis for the T20 World Cup in West Indies and the United States in June?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Faf still has a lot to give ...
67% - 911 votes
No! It's time to move on ...
33% - 441 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE