Lionel Messi (Argentina, Paris Saint-Germain), Robert Lewandowski (Poland, Bayern Munich), and Mohammed Salah (Egypt, Liverpool) were selected as the three finalists for the FIFA Men's Player of the Year.
On the 8th, FIFA announced the men's and women's Player of the Year and three finalists each.
In November of last year, the first candidates were selected, and on that day, three finalists were selected from each category.
In the Men's Player of the Year category, Lewandowski is aiming for the award for the second year in a row, while Messi is seeking his 7th win after 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2019.
However, Messi was awarded the FIFA Ballon d'Or between 2010 and 2015.
FIFA, which established the Player of the Year award in 1991, has been awarded the 'FIFA Ballon d'Or' award by integrating it with the Ballon d'Or selected by France Football, a French soccer magazine, since 2010. .
At the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony last November, Messi was honored with the award, and Lewandowski took second place.
It is the first time in 11 years since 2010 that Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Manchester United) did not make the final three FIFA Men's Player of the Year awards.
Three finalists were Alexia Putellas, Henifer Hermoso (Spain above) and Sam Kerr (Australia) as the finalists for Female Player of the Year.
Korea's Ji So-yeon (31, Chelsea woman) was nominated for the first round of 13 candidates for two years in a row, but was excluded from the final list.
The nominees for Male Manager of the Year have been reduced to three: Roberto Mancini (Italy), Thomas Tuchel (Germany) and Pep Guardiola (Spain).
The winners will be decided based on the coaches and captains of the FIFA member countries, the media, and the results of fan votes.
(Photo=AFP, Yonhap News)