FIFA, the world’s top football governing body, unveiled on Monday the top 11 nominees for the 2021 edition of The Best Awards, with the winners being revealed in an online ceremony on January 17, 2022. Public voting for each category will be open until December 10, 2021, and FIFA will eventually announce three finalists for each award early in 2022.

Expert panels in women’s and men’s football chose the nominees for each award, which included Eniola Aluko, Emma Byrne, and Marta Tejedor, as well as Tim Cahill, David Trezeguet, and Alexi Lalas.

In the men’s award category, Chelsea midfielder Jorginho, a double European champion with the London club and Italy, was joined by club teammate N’Golo Kanté. However, the list was primarily dominated by forwards was completed by Mohamed Salah, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Kevin De Bruyne, Karim Benzema and Neymar in the nominations by a FIFA-appointed panel.

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Meanwhile, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo took their usual places on the list with last year’s winner, Robert Lewandowski.

There are no defenders or goalkeepers in contention for the main FIFA award, though goalkeepers have their own separate awards.

Italy’s Gianluigi Donnarumma, who was named player of the tournament at Euro 2020, is among the five goalkeeping candidates.

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In the men’s top coach category, Robert Mancini, who led Italy to the European title, is among seven candidates for the men’s coaching award that include Chelsea’s Thomas Tuchel and Lionel Scaloni, whose Argentina team won the Copa America.

Meanwhile, in the women’s top player category, England defender Lucy Bronze, the winner of the women’s award last year, is nominated again and the 13 candidates include her national and Manchester City teammate Ellen White.

Olympic gold medal-winning Canada has just one candidate, veteran forward Christine Sinclair, 19 years after she was first voted into the top 10.

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No player was nominated from the United States team which took bronze at the Tokyo Olympics.

Two men and three women are in contention to be the best coach in women’s football. They include Bev Priestman of Canada, Lluís Cortés of European champion Barcelona, and Emma Hayes of runner-up Chelsea.

With inputs from the Associated Press