UEFA: On Thursday, the UEFA unveiled its list of nominees for the Player of the Year award. Among the three selected, Lionel Messi is included.
Having won the Champions League and the UEFA Super Cup, Manchester City logically places two players among those nominated for the UEFA Player of the Year title. They are Erling Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne. The Norwegian was one of the key figures in Man City’s domestic-cup-League treble last season. He also finished as the top scorer in the Premier League in his debut season in England (33 goals) and in the Champions League.
As for the Belgian, he was a crucial part of Manchester City’s midfield under the guidance of Pep Guardiola. His significant contribution to the club’s successes in both European and domestic competitions has placed him among the finalists for the second consecutive year. Lastly, Lionel Messi completes the top 3. Scoring 16 goals in 32 appearances for PSG last season and also winning the 2022 World Cup with Argentina, however, Messi seems to be lagging behind his competitors.
UEFA also revealed the three nominated coaches for the award in the coaching category. They are Pep Guardiola (Manchester City), Simone Inzaghi (Inter Milan), and Luciano Spalletti, who clinched the Serie A title with Napoli. The winners in the various categories will be announced on August 31st during the draw for the Champions League group stage.
