FIFA Best Award nominees announced as Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe face off yet again, Erling Haaland also on the list

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are among the leading candidates to claim the FIFA Best award as 14 nominees were announced with Neymar and Erling Haaland also on the list

Lionel Messi is among 14 nominees for the FIFA Best award following his World Cup victory.

The PSG star is among two Argentines to be nominated with Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez also in the running. Messi led his country to a first World Cup success since 1986 in Qatar, picking up the Golden Boot en route – becoming the first player to claim the individual accolade twice.

Messi scored in every knockout game, including a brace in the final, as Argentina won on penalties. He shared the limelight with Kylian Mbappe, who almost hauled France to another World Cup victory. His final hat-trick saw him pick up the Golden Boot.

Both Messi and Mbappe claimed the Ligue 1 title with PSG, as they continued their dominance of domestic football in France. The Champions League would elude both men however as the Parisians were knocked out by eventual champions Real Madrid.

Karim Benzema’s heroics in the knockout stages often pulled Los Blancos back from the brink. His efforts on the European stage saw him score several hat-tricks, which helped him claim the Ballon d’Or for the first time.

Benzema is one of three Madrid stars up for the award. Vinicius Jnr and Luka Modric also feature with the Croatian, again, helping his country over perform at the World Cup as they made the last four, beating Brazil en route.

Lionel Messi finally claimed World Cup glory ( Image: Matthew Ashton / AMA / FPA / LDY Agency)

Neymar and Achraf Hakimi, two more nominees, mean that PSG have provided more candidates for FIFA’s accolade than any other club. Hakimi played a vital role in his countries incredible World Cup journey as Morocco made the last four – seeing off Spain and Portugal.

English champions Manchester City, who also made the last four in Europe, have two nominees in the form of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland. De Bruyne has long been the heartbeat of Pep Guardiola’s side and, although he struggled on the international scene, remains a class act.

Haaland meanwhile only moved to the Etihad in the summer following several impressive years with Borussia Dortmund. The Norwegian has hit the ground running in the Premier League, breaking numerous records as he targets the Golden Boot in his debut year.

Kylian Mbappe claimed the Golden Boot in Qatar

Erling Haaland has broken several Premier League records

Haaland’s former team-mate Jude Bellingham also makes the nominations despite his tender age. The midfielder has established himself as a leading light, both with his Bundesliga club and England, and could yet earn himself a mega-money move next summer.

Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah helped Liverpool win two trophies last term, although they missed out on the two big prizes. Both men are considered, albeit they are no longer team-mates following Mane’s switch to Bayern Munich.

Robert Lewandowski, now of Barcelona, rounds out the nominees for the accolade. He has been named the FIFA Best Player for the last two years following his impressive efforts in Bavaria, that have seen him score with regularity as Bayern remain Germany’s dominant outfit.