In the list of nominations, which will be reduced to three in each category by February 3, there are 14 nominees for the best footballer of 2022, including two world champions, Messi and Julián Álvarez.

Other highlights go to world runner-up Mbappé and Frenchman Karim Benzema, winner of the Ballon d’Or and European champion with Real Madrid, who missed the World Cup due to injury.

Englishman Jude Bellingham, Polish player Robert Lewandowski, Golden Boot of the 2022/23 season, and the Norwegian striker Erling Haaland, also top the list this season.

The Best has been awarded individually since 2016, in a period when Cristiano Ronaldo (2016 and 2017), Luka Modric (2018), Lionel Messi (2019) and Robert Lewandowski (2020 and 2021) were the winners.

Between 2010 and 2015, the prize was awarded simultaneously with the Ballon d'Or by France Football magazine, then with the FIFA Ballon D'Or designation, distinguishing Messi (2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015) and Cristiano Ronaldo (2013 and 2014).

The captain of the Portuguese team is out of the finalists for the first time, after having won the trophy in 2016 and 2017, being second in 2018 and 2020, third in 2019 and last year having finished in seventh place.


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