De Bruyne, Haaland & Messi Nominated for UEFA’s Top Player
A triumvirate of football excellence was revealed by UEFA last night as the prime contenders for the prestigious UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award for the 2022/2023 season. The laureate of this honor will be unveiled at the Champions League group stage draw scheduled for Thursday, August 31st, at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco. In parallel, UEFA will also pay tribute to the coach who has exerted the most profound influence throughout the season with the UEFA Men’s Coach of the Year award.
UEFA’s Player of the Year
For the male player category, the initial shortlist was composed of athletes meticulously selected by UEFA’s technical study group based on their performances in the 2022/2023 season, spanning both club and national team endeavors. The final trio of top contenders was then determined by a panel of judges comprising coaches from clubs that participated in the 2022/2023 Champions League group stage, Europa League, and Europa Conference League, alongside national team coaches affiliated with UEFA member associations. A subset of journalists designated by the European Sports Media (ESM) also contributed to the judging panel.
Coaches and journalists were tasked with selecting their top three players from the shortlist by assigning them respective points of 5, 3, and 1. The ultimate outcome was determined by the cumulative tally of votes cast by coaches and journalists, with coaches prohibited from voting for players from their own teams.
The three players garnering the most points, in alphabetical order:
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Kevin DE BRUYNE (Belgium, Manchester City)
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Erling HAALAND (Norway, Manchester City)
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Lionel MESSI (Argentina – Paris Saint-Germain and Inter Miami)
Haaland and De Bruyne have been recognized alongside World Cup champion Lionel Messi in the category reserved for players, marking a seismic year that saw them clinch an unprecedented treble. Haaland’s tally of 52 goals in 53 matches for Man City during his debut season shattered records in Manchester.
Meanwhile, De Bruyne led both the Premier League and Champions League assist charts, notching 16 and 7 assists respectively in each competition. Messi, in a triumphant turn, secured the World Cup trophy by netting two goals in the captivating final against France, and clinched the Ligue 1 title with PSG, regaining his stride in Paris.
Remaining Players in the Voting
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Ilkay Gundogan (Germany & Man City, now at Barcelona) – 129 points
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Rodri (Spain & Manchester City) – 110 points
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Kylian Mbappe (France & Paris Saint-Germain) – 82 points
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Luka Modric (Croatia & Real Madrid) – 33 points
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Marcelo Brozovic (Croatia & Inter, now at Al Nassr) – 20 points
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Declan Rice (England & West Ham, now at Arsenal) – 14 points
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Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina & Brighton, now at Liverpool) – 12 points
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Jesus Navas (Spain & Sevilla) – 6 points
The culmination of this enthralling contest reinforces Messi’s indomitable prowess and lays the foundation for his potential coronation at the forthcoming 2023 Ballon d’Or ceremony. Stay tuned for the momentous reveal that the football world eagerly awaits.
