FIFA has announced the three finalists for The Best award for best player of the year, for which Blaugrana Aitana Bonmatí is the great favorite. In addition to the Ballon d’Or, Jenni Hermoso and the Colombian Linda Caicedo are also nominated. The award will be revealed on January 15 in London, in a ceremony in which FC Barcelona coach Jonatan Giráldez and goalkeeper Cata Coll are also nominated.
The FC Barcelona midfielder was a key player in achieving the League and Champions titles with the Catalan club and shone with the Spanish team that was crowned World Champion in Sydney. Merits that earned him to succeed Alexia Putellas as the new Ballon d’Or winner.
Jenni Hermoso, with three goals and three assists, was the Silver Ball of the tournament. The Pachuca forward found herself involuntarily at the center of controversy when the then president of the Spanish Federation, Luis Rubiales, kissed her without consent during the medal ceremony. An episode that is being investigated by the Spanish justice system.
The third finalist for The Best is the young promise of Colombian soccer Linda Caicedo. The Real Madrid soccer player, who is only 19 years old, has played three World Cups in one year, under-17, under-20 and senior, in which she made her debut by scoring. In addition, with the Spanish club she has been a Cup finalist and second in the League last season.
The award recognizes football merits between August 1, 2022 and August 20, 2023 and is voted on by coaches, captains, journalists and fans, with a weight of 25% for each of the voting groups. A total of 16 footballers were nominated for this recognition, among which were the Blaugrana Mapi León, Salma Paralluelo and Keira Walsh.
Jonatan Giráldez aspires to the award for best coach of the year after having won the League and the Champions League with Barça. He is joined among the three finalists by Emma Hayes and Sarina Wiegman. And in goal, Cata Coll will compete for best goalkeeper recognition with England’s May Earps and Australia’s Mackenzie Arnold.
In the men’s category, the Argentine Leo Messi, the Norwegian Erling Haaland and the Frenchman Kylian Mbappe are the three finalists for The Best award for the best footballer of 2023.
