Declan Rice has been shortlisted for The Best FIFA Men’s Player of 2023.
The midfielder is nominated for his performances with West Ham, whom he led to UEFA Conference League glory last season, and England, who reached the quarter-finals of the World Cup in Qatar.
Arsenal’s record-signing is the only Englishman to make the 12-man list and one of seven Premier League representatives; the other six – Julian Alvarez, Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan, Erling Haaland, Rodri and Bernardo Silva – were all part of Manchester City’s treble-winning side.
Marcelo Brozovic (Inter Milan/Al Nassr), Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Napoli), Victor Osimhen (Napoli), Kylian Mbappe (PSG) and Lionel Messi (PSG/Inter Miami) are the other nominees.
Since it was inaugurated in 2016 as a rival to France Football’s Ballon d’Or, the award has been won twice by Ronaldo, twice by Messi, twice by Robert Lewandowski and once by Luka Modric.
The Gunners also have two players up for The Best FIFA Women’s Player of 2023. Caitlin Foord and new signing Amanda Ilestedt, who was also nominated for the Ballon d’Or last week, are in the running.
You can vote for Declan, Caitlin and Amanda, here.
Rodri being nominated is a slap in the face to players who actually try to play football.
Can’t stand the guy. But he’s a very big game player. Hate how many times he’s scored important goals for them when they’ve struggled.
How? He’s an excellent player, probably the most important player in Man City’s team. He’d walk into any team in the world – easily. He’s a bit of a d**k when playing against, but he’s exactly who you’d want in your team.
Short memory? How about the bit where he deliberately tried to injure our captain during an international game during last year’s title run in?
I’m looking at those awards as a neutral, not an Arsenal fan.As I said “He’s a bit of a d**k when playing against, but he’s exactly who you’d want in your team.” Does it change him being the best DM in the world? No.
My god they keep coming up with new awards every year…it’s getting tiring
“The Best FIFA Player” sounds like he’s very good at video games.
Up the Declan – Down with FIFA!
Captain Fantastic
Whoops. That was meant for the Odegaard article. Sorry folks🙏🏾🙏🏾🙏🏾
Ode remains fantastic anyways.
I suppose the ponytail freak of nature will get it, but at least our Declan has made the shortlist.
Congrats and thoroughly deserved.
Arroz being shortlisted because of England’s quarter-finals is perhaps a bit of stretch.
For the girls Caicedo, James and Diani for me. First time, I am not picking all Arsenal. Perhaps our women being eliminated from CL this year is still affecting me. Was going to pick Caicedo anyways. I admire her too much.
Happy for rice. Though it’s weird knowing that all these awards will come down to a decision based on Haaland’s extra ordinary season with a treble and Kolo Muani missing a one on one shot against Argentina in the last minute of that extra time
Yeah, Muani could have secured the Ballon d’Or and this one for Mbappe.
Kolo Muani scores and Mbappe is “the best footballer ” in the year. Kolo misses and Messi is the “best” footballer of the year despite the season he endured
Taken from the Fifa website. Vote now for the The Best FIFA Men’s Player 2023 The 12 contenders have been nominated based on their achievements from 19 December 2022 to 20 August 2023, with each of the nominees recognised for their sustained excellence over that period. So, the world cup final was 18th December, therefore the world cup has no bearing on the outcome of this award. Also, what has Rice done to be shortlisted? He didn’t dominate the league, in a poor west ham team. I didn’t think captaining your team to victory in uefa’s third tier tournament, was… Read more »
Personally, I don’t give a stuff about these individual awards. Football is a team game and the most important thing is winning trophies. Just ask Harry Kane.
It’s about time that Arsenal Football Club won a major trophy. Then we can all celebrate.
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Waste of time cos everyone knows Messi will win it
Except that someone is trying to rig the votes. You wont believe there is no mention that Messi won the world cup with Argentina, was the tournaments golden ball winner on the Fifa website at least as at this evening when i checked. I mean that’s kind of weird .isnt it?
Correction Argentina won the world cup. If Messi won the world cup then surely Alvarez with a world cup, Champions league, premier league and carabao would be the best option. Should it be based on what your team won or an individual award? Much as I hate city, if it’s what your team won then Alvarez. If it’s what you produced then that Haaland fella and if it’s both then again that Haaland fella. If it’s sentimental as it always is then Messi and some chaps will be sad Cristiano isn’t there
I just looked on the FIFA site. You’re right that is strange they didn’t mention the World Cup. They mention it on Alvarez’s along with his treble.