Follow live updates from the Fifa Best Awards as the as the men’s and women’s player of the year are crowned in Zurich. Lionel Messi, Mohamed Salah and Robert Lewandowski are up for the men’s award, which is being handed out one month on from the Ballon d’Or. Messi was the winner on that occasion, beating Lewandowski to the prize, after a 2021 which saw the Argentina star claim a first major international honour with his country at the Copa America. He also won the Copa del Rey and finished as La Liga’s top scorer with Barcelona on his last season at the club, before moving to Paris Saint-Germain last summer.
Lewandowski will be hoping for a different result this time around. The Bayern Munich striker is looking to defend his Fifa Best title from last year and finish ahead of Messi once more, after many felt he should have won the Ballon d’Or following a record-breaking goalscoring season in the Bundesliga. Liverpool forward Salah is the Premier League’s top scorer with 16 goals so far this campaign and has been included in the top three despite finishing seventh in last month’s Ballon d’Or.
Alexia Putellas is the favourite to win the women’s award and add to her own Ballon d’Or win after her role in Barcelona’s dominant treble winning season. She is joined by teammate Jennifer Hermoso and Chelsea striker Sam Kerr on the final shortlist. Pep Guardiola, Thomas Tuchel and Emma Hayes are among the managers nominated for men’s and women’s coach of the year, while the Puskas Award for goal of the year and the Fifa Fifpro men’s and women’s world XI will also be revealed. Follow for live updates and results from the ceremony:
