ZURICH: Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland are the three finalists for the FIFA 2023 Best Men’s Player award, world football’s governing body said on Thursday.

       Norwegian Haaland helped Manchester City win three major trophies, the Champions League, English Premier League and FA Cup last season.

       Messi secured the award in 2022 after guiding Argentina to World Cup victory in Qatar. Following that success, he clinched the Ligue 1 title with Paris St Germain alongside Mbappe before making a move to the Major League Soccer team Inter Miami.

       The shortlist for the women’s best player includes two 2023 World Cup champions, Aitana Bonmati and Jennifer Hermoso from Spain, alongside Linda Caicedo, who represents Colombia.

       The winners will be announced on Jan. 15 in London, England.

       Published in Dawn, December 15th, 2023