Fifa Best Awards: What time does it start, what TV channel, where can I watch it and who's nominated?
Ronaldo, Messi and Neymar are in line for the top prize
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Your support makes all the difference.What is it?
The Best Fifa Awards is an awards ceremony held by Fifa to crown the best players in the world. The event is the second of its kind after Fifa ended its partnership with France Football’s Ballon D’or award. The magazine still hands out their prestigious award but tonight is Fifa’s official ceremony.
Where is it?
Last year the inaugural event took place in Zurich but this year the Palladium Theatre in London is hosting the awards.
When does it start?
Tonight’s event begins at 7:30pm BST and will be streamed live on Fifa’s YouTube channel. Highlights of the event hosted by Idris Elba will be on ITV at 10:45.
Which awards are up for grabs?
The Best FIFA Men’s Player
24 players, including Harry Kane, were nominated for the award which is voted for by national team coaches and captains as well as selected journalists.
Cristiano Ronaldo won the inaugural award in 2016 and is the favourite to beat Lionel Messi and Neymar who make up the three finalists.
The Best FIFA Football Coach
Massimiliano Allegri (Juventus), Antonio Conte and Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid) all won domestic league titles and are the finalists for the award which Claudio Ranieri picked up last year. Conte’s dominant season with Chelsea may fall short of Zidane’s side retaining the Champions League for the first time in the modern era.
The Best FIFA Goalkeeper
A surprise exclusion from the final list is David De Gea who could not beat Gianluigi Buffon, Keylor Navas and Manuel Neuer to the top three.
Puskas Award
The Puskas award is given to the player who scored the best goal of the year. Olivier Giroud’s goal against Crystal Palace is up against strikes from Deyna Castellanos and Oscarine Masuluke.
The Best Fifa Fan Award
Celtic’s stunning 360 display to honour the 50th anniversary of the ‘Lisbon Lions’ winning the European Cup in 1967 puts them in the final alongside Borussia Dortmund fans who offered shelter to Monaco supporters when their Champions League clash was postponed after a bomb hit the German team’s bus. FC Copenhagen complete the top three for handing the league trophy to a disabled fan and hoisting them into the air as they celebrated.
The Best FIFA Women’s Player
Deyna Castellanos starred at the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and plays for college side Florida State Seminoles. Carli Lloyd is in contention to win her second Best Fifa Women’s Player award, she signed for Manchester City in February. Lieke Martens was voted player of the tournament at the Euros in the summer and dominated matches from the flanks.
The Best FIFA Women’s Coach
Nils Nielsen, Gerard Precheur and Sarina Wiegman are the finalists to be crowned the best women’s team coach.
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