The FIFA Best Men’s Player shortlist included World Cup finalists Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, but there was no room for Cristiano Ronaldo.
The recent signing of Al-Nassr did not make FIFA’s list of 14 candidates for the honour, which recognises the finest players from the previous calendar year.
The year 2022 was filled with noteworthy club and international moments. From Bayern’s record 10th consecutive Bundesliga title and Erling Haaland’s explosive start to life in England to Senegal’s first Africa Cup of Nations victory and Morocco’s first World Cup quarterfinal appearance for an African side in Qatar.
Will Lionel Messi’s World Cup victory be enough for him to earn FIFA’s prestigious individual award? The year’s finest footballing action culminated with Messi’s capture of the World Cup title.
From the candidate list to how and when the winner is selected, GOAL provides comprehensive information. And here you may read about the other prizes and nominees.
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Who are the nominees for the 2022 FIFA Best Men’s Player Award?
The fourteen nominees for the award in 2022 include both recognisable names and newcomers.
Messi and Mbappe are selected with Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema, while young players Jude Bellingham and Achraf Hakimi are also included.
While Ronaldo’s absence from the list is noticeable, perhaps the most surprising inclusion is Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez, who starred in Qatar but only joined the English giants over the course of the year’s second half.
The complete list of nominees for the 2022 FIFA Best Male Player Award is as follows:
| Player | Club |
|---|---|
| Julian Alvarez | River Plate/Manchester City |
| Jude Bellingham | Borussia Dortmund |
| Karim Benzema | Real Madrid |
| Kevin De Bruyne | Manchester City |
| Erling Haaland | Borussia Dortmund/Manchester City |
| Achraf Hakimi | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Robert Lewandowski | Bayern Munich/Barcelona |
| Sadio Mane | Liverpool/Bayern Munich |
| Kylian Mbappe | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Lionel Messi | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Luka Modric | Real Madrid |
| Neymar | Paris Saint-Germain |
| Mohamed Salah | Liverpool |
| Vinicius Junior | Real Madrid |
How is the prize for the 2022 FIFA Best Men’s Player determined?
FIFA selects the final shortlist of players based on team and individual athletic performance, as well as overall behaviour on and off the field.
Media representatives, national team coaches, national team captains, and, from October 2016, the general public vote on the nominees.
Each group receives 25% of the vote, and the winner is determined by tallying the votes from the four groups.
How to vote for the FIFA Men’s Best Player Award in 2022
Fans must register on the FIFA website to be eligible to vote. Members of FIFA may vote for their top three choices in the men’s player category after registering.
The FIFA website lists each candidate, their individual and team achievements, and the numbers 1, 2, and 3 below. No.1 will be considered as the top option, No.2 as the second option, and No.3 as the third option.
The vote will be counted after users click “Submit your vote” at the bottom of the page.
When will the results of the 2022 FIFA best male player award be announced?
The prizes for all categories, including men’s player, will be announced on February 27, 2023, at The Best FIFA Football Awards.