England and Arsenal forward Beth Mead has made it onto the shortlist for FIFA’s annual player awards along with Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain Lionel Messi.
Mead, currently recovering from a serious knee injury, was top scorer and named player of the tournament as the Lionesses won Euro 2022 on home soil.
She is up for the Best FIFA Women’s Player along with America’s Alex Morgan and Spaniard Alexia Putellas, who won the award last year.
📢 The finalists for #TheBest FIFA Women's Player Award are…
🏴 @bmeado9🇪🇸 @alexiaputellas🇺🇸 @alexmorgan13
— FIFA Women's World Cup (@FIFAWWC) February 10, 2023
Along with Messi, who guided his country to victory in Qatar, France duo Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema, last year’s winner, complete the three nominees for the Best FIFA Men’s Player.
Brazil forward Richarlison makes the shortlist for FIFA’s Best Goal Puskas Award for his acrobatic effort against Serbia during the group stages of the World Cup, along with Marseille’s Dimitri Payet and Polish amputee footballer Marcin Oleksy.
It had already been revealed England’s Sarina Wiegman and Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola were among the contenders shortlisted for the FIFA Best Coach awards.
The winners will be announced at a ceremony in Paris on February 27.
