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FIFA has announced two panels to decide shortlisted candidates for the Best FIFA Men’s and Women’s Players and Coaches for the 2017/18 season.
The panels include football legends from various countries. Emmanuel Amunike was chosen from Nigeria to make the panel to shortlist players for the best men’s players and coaches awards. England, Brazil and Cote d’ivoire have Frank Lampard, Kaka and Didier Drogba respectively.
According to a statement by the world football body, the judges will shortlist 10 candidates for each category, which will be unveiled on July 23, 2018 – with a public vote opening on the same day and closing on August 10, 2018.
“Football fans, national team captains, head coaches and more than 200 media representatives will then cast their votes to decide who will be crowned the best players and coaches in the men’s and women’s games from last season.” it said.
The ongoing World Cup tournment in Russia will no doubt, influence those shortlisted.
Last year, Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo won the Best Men’s Player Award, the Netherlands’ Lieke Martens was crowned Best Women’s Player, French icon Zinédine Zidane was named Best Men’s Coach and the Netherlands’ Sarina Wiegman was Best Women’s Coach.
Separate panels will shortlist candidates for the Best FIFA Goalkeeper Award, the FIFA Puskás Award and the FIFA Fan Award, with the winner of the Best FIFA Goalkeeper Award chosen by a panel of FIFA Legends.
In recognition and celebration of the essential role played by football fans in the game, the FIFA Fan Award, an appreciation of memorable moments created by fans, is voted for by supporters. The FIFA Puskás Award, handed out to the player judged to have scored the best goal of the year, is also determined by fans’ votes.
This year’s awards ceremony will hold in London on September 24.
Below are lists of judges for each category:
BEST FIFA MEN’S JUDGING PANEL
Sami Al-Jaber (KSA)
Cha Bum-kun (KOR)
Didier Drogba (CIV)
Kaka (BRA)
Wynton Rufer (NZL)
Frank Lampard (ENG)
Fabio Capello (ITA)
Carlos Alberto Parreira (BRA)
Alessandro Nesta (ITA)
Lothar Matthaus (GER)
Emmanuel Amunike (NGA)
Ronaldo (BRA)
Andy Roxburgh (SCO)
BEST FIFA WOMEN’S JUDGING PANEL
Belinda Wilson (AUS)
Sun Wen (CHN)
Jacky Shipanga (NAM)
Clementine Toure (CIV)
Mia Hamm (USA)
Andrea Rodebaugh (MEX)
Sissi (BRA)
Diego Guacci (CHL)
Patrick Jacquemet (FRA)
Maia Jackman (NZL)
Anna Signeul (SWE)
Nadine Kessler (GER)
FIFA PUSKÁS AWARD JUDGING PANEL
Alex Scott (ENG)
Miroslav Klose (GER)
David Trezeguet (FRA)
Aline Pellegrino (BRA)
Iker Casillas (ESP)
Marco van Basten (NED)
Pablo Aimar (ARG)
BEST FIFA GOALKEEPER AWARD JUDGING PANEL
Vítor Baia (POR)
Peter Schmeichel (DEN)
Jorge Campos (MEX)
Gordon Banks (ENG)
Rinat Dasayev (RUS)
Mark Schwarzer (AUS)
Rene Higuita (COL)
Diego Forlan (URU)
Frederic Kanoute (MLI)
Alessandro Altobelli (ITA)
FAN AWARD JUDGING PANEL
Homare Sawa (JPN)
Christie Pearce Rampone (USA)
Cafu (BRA)
Lucas Radebe (RSA)
Christian Karembeu (FRA)
Bora Milutinovic (SRB)
Lindsay Tarpley-Snow (USA)