Atletico Madrid goal-machine and France international, Antoine Griezmann will join perennial rivals, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the three finalists for the 2016 Best FIFA Men’s Player Award which will be crowned at the ceremony on 9 January in Zurich.
The list of 23 names has been trimmed down to the elite trio after voting by captains and coaches of national teams, select members of the media and fans voting on FIFA.com.
Cristiano Ronaldo had an outstanding year in continental competitions, securing his third UEFA Champions League title, his second for Real Madrid, finishing as top scorer with 16 goals on the way to the final. He also lead Portugal to victory in the European championship in France.
Griezmann has been on the edge of stardom for some years but he finally stepped on the plate as one of the world’s outstanding players this year thanks, in part, to his performances on home soil at UEFA EURO 2016. The diminutive forward, often found in a ‘9.5’ role between the forward line and midfield, was top scorer in the tournament as he helped his country reach the final, only to be defeated by Ronaldo’s Portugal. The Frenchman also ended the 2015-16 season as his club side’s top goalscorer, helping Atleti to third in La Liga, and to a tight final defeat to Ronaldo’s Real in the Champions League.
Argentina and Barcelona’s talisman Lionel Messi had yet another phenomenal year, guiding his side to a league and cup double, scoring 26 goals in an incredibly tight La Liga title race, and captaining his country to the final of the Copa America Centenario. Messi in the year also past Gabriel Batistuta as Argentina’s top goalscorer during the Copa America Centenario
