New Zealand football legends Ivan Vicelich and Kirsty Yallop were among the panel of experts consulted to produce the shortlist of nominees for the 2023 The Best FIFA Awards.
The awards recognise the leading performers from women’s and men’s football, and are decided by public votes for categories that include best players, coaches and goalkeepers.
Vicelich (47) is New Zealand and Oceania’s most-capped men’s international of all time, with 88 appearances.
Main photo: Ivan Vicelich. Photo: Shane Wenzlick / Phototek.
Yallop (36) made 104 full international appearances for the Football Ferns.
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The star performers from a record-breaking FIFA Women’s World Cup are reflected in The Best FIFA Women’s Player nominees, with adidas Golden Ball Award winner Aitana Bonmati one of four Spain players in contention.
Four from runners-up England and three Matildas — who so nearly reached the final on home soil — are also part of a 16-player shortlist.
Six of the 12 nominees for The Best FIFA’s Men Player Award are from Manchester City’s treble-winning side, as well as their manager Pep Guardiola, who is nominated for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach alongside four of his peers.
The 2021 and 2022 winners of The FIFA Best Women’s Coach award — Emma Hayes and Sarina Wiegman — are two of the quintet nominated in this category.
Nominations for The Best Women’s Goalkeeper are dominated by those who shone in Australia and New Zealand during July and August.
Golden Glove winner Mary Earps is joined by gold medallist Catalina Coll, among seven nominees. In the corresponding men’s category, five nominees from three continents have been shortlisted.
The expert panels
Here are the panels established by FIFA to produce the final lists of nominees:
Women’s Panel
- Mercy Akide (Nigeria)
- Shirley Cruz (Costa Rica)
- Amy Duggan (Australia)
- Isabella Echeverri (Colombia)
- Mia Hamm (United States)
- Jessica Houara (France)
- Mana lwabuchi Uapan)
- Manon Melis (Netherlands)
- Patrizia Panico (Italy)
- Clementine Toure (Ivory Coast)
- Kirsty Yallop (New Zealand)
Men’s Panel
- Petr Cech (Czechia)
- Didier Drogba (Cote d’Ivoire)
- Brett Emerton (Australia)
- Rio Ferdinand (England)
- Asamoah Gyan (Ghana)
- Kaka (Brazil)
- Mario Kempes (Argentina)
- Alexi Lalas (USA)
- John Obi Mikel (Nigeria)
- Park Ji-Sung (Korea Republic)
- Ivan Vicelich (New Zealand)
Shortlist: Best Women’s Player
Aitana Bonmati, Linda Caicedo, Rachel Daly, Kadidiatou Diani, Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler, Alex Greenwood, Jennifer Hermoso, Lindsey Horan, Amanda Ilestedt, Lauren James, Sam Kerr, Mapi Leon, Hinata Miyazawa, Salma Paralluelo, Keira Walsh.
Shortlist: Best Men’s Player
Julian Alvarez, Marcelo Brozovic, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Erling Haaland, Rodri, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi, Victor Osimhen, Declan Rice, Bernardo Silva.
Shortlist: Best Women’s Coach
Peter Gerhardsson, Jonatan Giraldez, Tony Gustavsson, Emma Hayes, Sarina Wiegman.
Shortlist: Best Men’s Coach
Pep Guardiola, Simone Inzaghi, Ange Postecoglou, Luciano Spalletti, Xavi.
Shortlist: Best Women’s Goalkeeper
Mackenzie Arnold, Ann-Katrin Berger, Catalina Coll, Mary Earps, Christiane Endler, Zecira Musovic, Sandra Panos Garcia-Villamil
Shortlist: Best Men’s Goalkeeper
Yassine Bounou, Thibaut Courtois, Ederson, Andre Onana, Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
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