Jenni Hermoso had a great World Cup. Starter in all seven World Cup matches and scorer of three goals, the 33-year-old from Madrid is one of the ten nominated by FIFA for The Best award as best player of 2023. However, the governing body of football World Cup has left out Jorge Vilda, the coach who was proclaimed world champion with Spain on August 20.
However, the Pachuca forward is not the big favorite to win the award. As already happened with the UEFA award, Aitana Bonmatí can be the heir to Alexia Putellas, winner of 2021 and 2022. The midfielder, winner of the Champions League and the World Cup, is not the only Blaugrana on the list, which also includes Mapi León and Salma Paralluelo.
The surprise comes with the candidates for the award for best women’s soccer coach, where Jorge Vilda falls out of the five candidates. The former Spanish coach was among the three finalists for the UEFA award but he did not win it either. The award went to Sarina Wiegman, defeated in the final. Jonatan Giráldez, the brand new winner of the Champions League, does appear among the best.
In the men’s section, the presence of Xavi Hernández stands out, who led Barça to win the League 22-23 and the Spanish Super Cup. It is the first time that the Terrassa coach has been nominated for one of these awards. His rivals will be Pep Guardiola, winner of a treble that includes the Champions League, Simone Inzaghi, Spalletti and Postecoglou.
Among the players, Barcelona barely has Gündogan but the German only played two official matches with the Blaugrana shirt between the period evaluated in the men’s award, from December 19, 2022 to August 20, 2023. This means that It starts right after the World Cup in Qatar. Leo Messi aspires to his third The Best, surrounded by City players: De Bruyne, Haaland, Rodri, Bernardo Silva and Julián Álvarez, in addition to the aforementioned Gündogan.
It is also curious that Barcelona has three of its goalkeepers nominated. Ter Stegen for the men’s award and Sandra Paños and Cata Coll, starter in the World Cup qualifiers with Spain, for the women’s award.
