Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe have earned nominations for the men’s player of the year at the 2023 FIFA Best Awards.

Haaland’s nomination comes following his impressive debut season with Manchester City after transferring from Borussia Dortmund last summer. The Norwegian striker scored an outstanding 36 goals in 35 Premier League matches, earning him the Premier League Golden Boot and the European Golden Shoe. Additionally, he topped the Champions League scoring charts with 12 goals in 11 European appearances, marking the second time he achieved this feat in his career.

Manchester City boasts a strong presence among the nominees, with four more players in contention for the Men’s Player of the Year award: Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri, and Bernardo Silva. The list also includes their former teammate Ilkay Gundogan, who joined Barcelona during the summer transfer window. Declan Rice, representing the Premier League, rounds out the list, aiming to become the first Englishman to win the award.

Lionel Messi, the current holder of the award, is seeking to secure it for the third time. His former Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Kylian Mbappe, is also in contention and vying for his first win in this category.

Pep Guardiola, who guided Manchester City to a historic treble last season, is among the nominees for the best men’s coach award. Luciano Spalletti has been recognized for his achievement in ending Napoli’s 33-year wait for the Serie A title.

In the Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper category, five players have been nominated, including Manchester City’s Ederson, who registered seven clean sheets in 11 Champions League matches last season. Marc-Andre ter Stegen is another contender, having equaled the La Liga record with 26 clean sheets during the 2022-23 campaign.