Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland & Kevin De Bruyne nominated for UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award

Kevin De Bruyne, Erling Haaland, and Lionel Messi have been announced as the three finalists for the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award, as revealed by European football’s governing body on Thursday.

These players emerged as the top contenders based on votes from a panel consisting of coaches from clubs participating in UEFA competitions, national team managers from European countries, and a selected group of journalists.

The recipient of this prestigious award will be unveiled on August 31st during the Champions League group stage draw ceremony in Monaco.

In the previous season, Haaland secured his position as the leading goal scorer in the Champions League with an impressive tally of 12 goals.

De Bruyne played a pivotal role in Manchester City’s triumphant journey to their first Champions League title. Additionally, Messi, while playing for PSG, contributed to Argentina’s victory in the 2022 World Cup.

The shortlist for the Men’s Player of the Year award was initially curated by a study group from UEFA.

It was then presented to all club managers who participated in the Champions League, Europa League, or Conference League, as well as national team managers of UEFA member nations. A select group of journalists also had the opportunity to cast their votes.

The final contenders, Messi, Haaland, and De Bruyne, will compete for the honor on August 31st. Notably, Messi holds the distinction of being the only player among them to have previously clinched the award, achieving this feat in both 2011 and 2015.

A victory this year would see him match Cristiano Ronaldo’s record of three wins.

The list of other notable players in the running for the award includes Ilkay Gundogan, Rodri, Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric, Marcelo Brozovic, Declan Rice, Alexis Mac Allister, and Jesus Navas…[CONTINUE READING HERE]>>