Salah and Mane Shortlisted for FIFA Best Awards

African players Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane have been included on a shortlist of ten players for FIFA’s “The Best FIFA Football Awards.”

Experts compiled the list. However, the three finalists will be determined by a fan vote combined with the votes of various members of the footballing community, from coaches to journalists. The winner is due to be announced in September.

Senegal’s Mane won the 2018 UEFA Champions League and was the joint top-scorer in the Premier League. He also played in the Senegalese national team that made the finals of the recently concluded African Cup of Nations (Afcon).

Meanwhile, Egypt’s Salah was the top goalscorer for Liverpool helping the team to its sixth UEFA Champions League final. He was also joint top-scorer in the Premier League alongside his teammate Mane and Arsenal’s Pierre Emerick Aubameyang.

The other players to make the shortlist are as follows:

• Kylian Mbappe (France / Paris St-Germain)

• Virgil Van Dijk (Netherlands / Liverpool)

• Eden Hazard (Belgium / Chelsea now Real Madrid)

• Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands / Ajax)

• Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands / Ajax)

• Harry Kane (England / Tottenham)

• Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal / Juventus)

• Lionel Messi (Argentina / Barcelona)