Football: Messi, Mbappe, Benzema finalists for Fifa’s best player award
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(From left) Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema are vying for the award.
PHOTOS: EPA-EFE, REUTERS
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ZURICH - World Cup winner Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema were announced on Friday as the three finalists for Fifa’s The Best award for 2022.
Two-time Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas of Spain, England forward Beth Mead and American star Alex Morgan were nominated for the top women’s prize.
Paris Saint-Germain teammates Messi and Mbappe, who faced each other in the Qatar World Cup final on Dec 18, are competing along with Benzema to succeed Robert Lewandowski, winner of the Fifa award in 2020 and 2021.
Benzema won the 2022 Ballon d’Or for his performances with Real Madrid but missed the World Cup because of injury.
Barcelona and Spain midfielder Putellas won the women’s award last time and is nominated again despite being out since July after tearing the anterior cruciate ligament in her left knee.
Arsenal striker Beth Mead, runner-up to Putellas for the Ballon d’Or in October, is also currently sidelined with a long-term knee injury.
The winners will be revealed on Feb 27 in Paris. They will be voted for by a jury made up of national team coaches and captains as well as journalists and fans.
There are also prizes for the best male and female coach, the best goalkeeper, and the Puskas Award for the best goal of 2022.
Meanwhile, there are concerns that Messi, who is sidelined with a hamstring injury, may not be fit in time for PSG’s Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich on Tuesday.
PSG confirmed on Friday that the Argentinian had suffered the injury in the club’s 2-1 defeat against Marseille in the French Cup on Wednesday and would continue to undergo treatment over the next 48 hours.
They added that Messi would return to training on Monday.
But PSG coach Christophe Galtier played down concerns that the 35-year-old may not be ready in time for that huge game.
“He will be back in training on Monday so you can forget about him being a doubt,” he said.
Mbappe is also recovering from a thigh injury and is likely to miss the Bayern clash. AFP
