FIFA has announced a list of 30 candidates for the title of the best player of the year. It is believed that this year the fiercest battle will take place between World vice-champion French striker Thierry Henry and World champion Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro. In 2004 and 2005, Brazilian Ronaldinho was recognized as the best player, who is also among the candidates this year. Last year, the Brazilian received the highest number of votes in the entire history of the election and significantly outperformed Frank Lampard, who came in second. The final list includes as many as six players from the "Chelsea" team: Englishman F. Lampard, the main goalkeeper of the club and the Czech national team Petr Čech, Michael Essien from Ghana, Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, German football star Michael Ballack, and Ukrainian Andriy Shevchenko. "Milan" and the Champions League winner "Barcelona" club each have four players. A total of twelve contenders compete in the English "Premier" League, eight represent Italian "Serie A" teams, six Spanish clubs, two German clubs, and one French club. This list also includes former French national team goalkeeper Zinedine Zidane, who ended his football career, perhaps with the most memorable incident of the year - headbutting Italian Marco Materazzi in the World Cup finals. Contenders for the best world footballer of the year include Z. Zidane, Ronaldinho, and AC Milan defender Luis Figo, who are the only candidates who have previously won this FIFA award. The Frenchman has claimed this title three times: in 1998 and 2000 while playing for Juventus and in 2003 representing Real Madrid. Portuguese L. Figo won in 2001 wearing the same Real Madrid jersey. It is worth mentioning that the last three titles were won by players in defensive positions. Now a vote will take place where national team coaches and captains will cast their votes for one of the players mentioned in the list, and in early December, it will be revealed which trio receives the most votes. The winner will be announced on December 18 at an awards ceremony in Zurich. At the 16th annual ceremony, awards will also be presented to the best players of the 2006 World Cup - the prizes will go to the top three players Z. Zidane, F. Cannavaro, and Andrea Pirlo, top scorers Miroslav Klose, Hernan Crespo, and Ronaldo, as well as the best goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and the teams that promoted the best game, Brazil and Spain. List of candidates for the FIFA best player of the year title: Adriano ("Inter", Brazil), Michael Ballack ("Chelsea", Germany), Gianluigi Buffon ("Juventus", Italy), Fabio Cannavaro ("Real", Italy), Cristiano Ronaldo ("Manchester United", Portugal), Petr Cech ("Chelsea", Czech Republic), Deco ("Barcelona", Portugal), Didier Drogba ("Chelsea", Ivory Coast), Michael Essien ("Chelsea", Ghana), Samuel Eto'o ("Barcelona", Cameroon), Luis Figo ("Inter", Portugal), Gennaro Gattuso ("Milan", Italy), Steven Gerrard ("Liverpool", England), Thierry Henry ("Arsenal", France), Kaka ("Milan", Brazil), Miroslav Klose ("Werder", Germany), Philipp Lahm ("Bayern", Germany), Frank Lampard ("Chelsea", England), Jens Lehmann ("Arsenal", Germany), Alessandro Nesta ("Milan", Italy), Andrea Pirlo ("Milan", Italy), Franck Ribery ("Marseille", France), Juan Roman Riquelme ("Villarreal", Argentina), Ronaldinho ("Barcelona", Brazil), Wayne Rooney ("Manchester United", England), Tomas Rosicky ("Arsenal", Czech Republic), Andriy Shevchenko ("Chelsea", Ukraine), Lilian Thuram ("Barcelona", France), Patrick Vieira ("Inter", France), Zinedine Zidane (retired, France)
FIFA announced the list of candidates for the Player of the Year title.
EURO 2024
UEFA Champions League 2024/2025
UEFA Europa league
UEFA Conference League
Premier League 2024/2025
German Bundesliga 2024/2025
Spain La Liga 2024/2025
Ligue 1 2024/2025
Italy Serie A 2024/2025
Latest football news
UEFA Europa league
Despite being down to ten, Tottenham still crushed Qarabag
Coppa Italia
Napoli had fun with Palermo in the Round of 16
Spain La Liga 2024/2025
Atletico snatched victory in Spain
UEFA Europa league
J. Mourinho started successfully with Fenerbahce in the Europa League, RFS defeated in Bucharest
Spain La Liga 2024/2025
Villarreal club continues to perform excellently
UEFA Europa league
Roberto, Garnacho's brother, stands up for E. ten Hag: 'Players can't score goals'
L. Enrique would sacrifice millions of euros to avoid an unpleasant obligation.
Supercomputer predicts no Europa League crown for Man Utd.
A fan who insulted Vinicius has been severely sentenced in Spain
M. Maignan should extend his contract with the Milan club
Italy Serie A 2024/2025
Torino with G. Gineicius achieved a result not seen in 47 years
Man City confirmed: Rodri suffered a serious knee injury
EFL cup (Carabao Cup)
England League Cup draw: Tottenham and Manchester City face off in the fourth round
EFL cup (Carabao Cup)
League Cup: Arsenal's prodigy E. Nwaneri scored a brace, Liverpool humiliated West Ham.
Spain La Liga 2024/2025
Barcelona continues to triumph in Spain
UEFA Europa league
At the start of the Europa League – 'Manchester United' draws at home with the former team of E. ten Hag
Spain La Liga 2024/2025
Sevilla snatched victory in Spain
Football transfers
W. Szczesny – on the way to Barcelona
Bosnian Miralem Pjanic is moving to Moscow CSKA
"Real" will have to get by without K. Mbappe for a while.
Revealed how the new 'Man Utd' stadium could look
UEFA changes the location of the 2027 Champions League final
Richarlison loudly expressed his indignation about his rating in the EA FC 25 game.
Producer: what's the difference where the football team will lose