UEFA have announced their 2023 Men’s and Women’s Players of the Year at the 2023/24 UEFA Champions League group stage draw ceremony.
Lionel Messi was once again in the running for the men’s award, aiming to match long-time rival Cristiano Ronaldo by securing the award for a third time after inspiring Argentina to World Cup glory and another Ligue 1 title with Paris Saint-Germain before his transfer to Inter Miami.
However, he and fellow nominee Kevin De Bruyne lost out to Erling Haaland. The Norwegian striker enjoyed a sensational debut campaign in England in 2022/23, helping Manchester City to their first ever Champions League crown and treble.
Haaland has scored 52 goals in 53 games in all competitions, including 12 in 11 in Europe’s premier club competition.
Alexia Putellas’ two-year reign as women’s champion has ended, but she has been replaced by Spain’s World Cup winner.
Aitana Bonmati picked up the award, which quickly followed her Ballon d’Or at the World Cup earlier this month, where she scored three goals and assisted two more.
Bonmati excelled with an all-conquering Barcelona side last season before playing alongside Olga Carmona, a World Cup final match winner who was also nominated for a UEFA award. Australia and Chelsea star Sam Kerr rounded out the candidates.
Below are the two sets of nominees, the initial shortlist of players selected by UEFA’s Technical Study Group and the full list of previous winners.
UEFA Awards 2023: List of nominees for Men’s and Women’s Player of the Year
UEFA Men’s Player of the Year
- Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City & Belgium)
- Winner: Erling Haaland (Manchester City & Norway)
- Lionel Messi (Paris Saint-Germain & Argentina)
Shortlist: 4th Ilkay Gundogan (Manchester City & Germany: 129 points), 5th Rodri (Manchester City & Spain: 110), 6th Kylian Mbappe (PSG & France: 82), 7th Luka Modric (Real Madrid & Croatia: 33), 8th Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan & Croatia: 20), 9th Declan Rice (West Ham & England: 14), Alexis Mac Allister (Brighton & Argentina: 12), Jesus Navas (Sevilla & Spain: 6)
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