UEFA have announced their shortlist for the Best Player of Europe award. The Premier League is entirely absent from the list as none of the players playing in England’s elite league have been deemed good enough for the award.
Leicester City’s star trio of Riyad Mahrez, Jamie Vardy and N’golo Kante, Tottenham stalwarts Hugo Lloris and Toby Alderweireld, the explosive Dimitri Payet from West Ham United and shock inclusion Eden Hazard from Chelsea — these were the Premier League players included in UEFA’s list of contenders for the Best Player of Europe awards. However, none of them made the cut as UEFA recently released the shortlist of nominees for the award.
Mahrez and Vardy were ranked 11th and 12th respectively after votes were cast; the voters consisted of journalists from each of UEFA’s 55 member associations. The Leicester pair were followed by Frenchman Dimitri Payet in 13th, with his compatriot and recent Chelsea signing Kante along with the off-form Hazard being the other Premier League players in the top 20.
The ten man shortlist is dominated by Real Madrid, who have as many as four players. German midfielder Toni Kroos, Wales forward Gareth Bale and the Euro 2016 winning Portugal pair of Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe are representing Los Blancos. Their La Liga rivals Barcelona have Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in the reckoning, while Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich have Manuel Neuer and Thomas Muller.
Serie A Champions Juventus have their legendary goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon in the shortlist, which is rounded off by Atletico Madrid’s French superstar Antoine Griezmann.
Ronaldo the favourite
Cristiano Ronaldo had one of the most spectacular seasons of his career at the ripe old footballing age of 31. The Portuguese goal machine netted 54 times for club and country, scored six hat-tricks and won a European double of Champions League and European Championship trophies. His dominance this past campaign has even prompted his rivals to heap praise on the three-time Ballon d’Or winner.
The likes of Euro 2016 Golden Boot winner Antoine Griezmann, Wales hero Gareth Bale and Barcelona legend Lionel Messi are sure to give him stiff competition for the award. But given Ronaldo’s dominant season, it is hard to see the prize go to anyone else.
