Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Karim Benzema have been shortlisted for the FIFA Best Men's Player Award.
Messi led Argentina to glory at last year's World Cup, scoring seven times, including twice in the final, and laying on three assists.
That ended a 36-year wait for a third world title for Argentina, while for many his performances in Qatar cemented Messi as the greatest of all time.
Argentina overcame France on penalties in the showdown at Lusail Stadium on December 18, though it was not for the want of trying from Mbappe, who scored a hat-trick in a thrilling 3-3 draw, and like his Paris Saint-Germain team-mate Messi also converted his spot-kick in the shoot-out.
Mbappe won the competition's Golden Boot award after netting eight goals, while he set up another two.
Between August 8, 2021 and December 18, 2022 – the time period on which this year's FIFA Best awards are based – Mbappe scored 58 goals for PSG, the highest figure of any player across Europe's top five leagues.
Third on that list is Real Madrid striker Benzema, who won last year's Ballon d'Or and makes up the final shortlist. He netted 50 times for Los Blancos, helping them win LaLiga and the Champions League, though he suffered an injury on the eve of the World Cup and had to withdraw from France's squad.
FIFA also confirmed the nominations for the Puskas Award for best goal.
Richarlison's stunning effort in Brazil's World Cup opener against Serbia has made the cut, as has an audacious half-volley from Dimitri Payet in Marseille's Europa Conference League clash with PAOK last April.
Marcin Oleksy, meanwhile, scored a sublime overhead kick for Warta Poznan amputee football against Stal Rzeszow, and the Pole joins Richarlison and Payet on the final shortlist.
The Best Women's Player Award will also be handed out at the FIFA ceremony on February 27.
Beth Mead was crucial in England's success at the Women's Euros last year, winning the Golden Boot and being named as Player of the Tournament.
Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas missed the tournament through injury but the Barcelona star makes the list, along with Alex Morgan.
Al-Ittihad 7-1 Al-Wehda: Benzema treble keeps hosts perfect
Karim Benzema's hat-trick helped Al-Ittihad maintain their perfect start to the Saudi Pro League season as they thrashed Al-Wehda 7-1 on Saturday.
Benzema opened the scoring in stunning fashion with just two minutes on the clock, curling a fine effort beyond the grasp of Ignacio de Arruabarrena.
Houssem Aouar doubled the hosts' advantage, only for Youssef Amyn to half the deficit before Fabinho's header in the fourth minute of first-half injury time gave Laurent Blanc's side a comfortable advantage at the break.
Benzema struck again shortly after the restart to notch his second of the encounter before Fawaz Al Yami netted Al-Ittihad's fifth nine minutes later.
Substitute Saleh Al Shehri thought he had concluded the scoring in the 87th minute, but Benzema was not to be denied his treble.
The Frenchman was provided with the simplest of finishes after Moussa Diaby's cross into his path, with the former Aston Villa man laying on four assists during the game.
Data Debrief: French connection
An emphatic triumph for the hosts saw them register an expected goals (xG) tally of 3.69 from their 15 shots, as their French forwards took centre-stage.
Benzema contributed 1.29 xG to the hosts' total, with the Frenchman having more shots on target (five) and playing more passes in the final third (30) than any other player.
But his compatriot Diaby also impressed.
The 25-year-old ended the encounter having created more chances (five) than anyone on the pitch, with his eight touches in the opposition box the joint-most alongside Benzema.
Lay's named official FIFA World Cup 26 and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027 sponsor
Lay’s, a brand that has been bringing people together for generations, is building on its commitment to celebrating soccer fandom by becoming an Official snack of both the FIFA World Cup 26™ and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™. The exciting new partnership brings together two titans – the world’s favorite chip brand and the world’s biggest and most popular single sporting event for men and women – to spread the joy of the game to millions of fans worldwide. As Official Sponsor, Lay’s, alongside an iconic portfolio of food brands including Doritos®, Cheetos®, Tostitos®, Ruffles®, Quaker® and Gamesa®, will bring fans closer to the game than ever before with exclusive experiences, merchandise, consumer activations and more.
“Partnering with FIFA marks a significant milestone for our business and ambition to embed Lay’s and our extended portfolio of food brands deeper into football culture,” said Jane Wakely, Chief Consumer and Marketing Officer and Chief Growth Officer, International Foods – Lay’s. “Football is one of the world's biggest passion points, and this historic partnership allows us to bring the excitement and reach of the FIFA World Cup and the FIFA Women’s World Cup together with the joy and fun of our iconic brands across the world.”
On announcing the deal, FIFA President, Gianni Infantino said: “We’re delighted to extend this partnership with Lay’s and strengthen our collaboration as we head into a historic period for FIFA and the wider soccer community. After being involved in the last FIFA World Cup and FIFA Women’s World Cup, we’re proud that Lay’s has shared in our trust, vision, and ideas for the development of the global game and has joined us on this journey into the future. Together, we will create special experiences for fans worldwide.”
The FIFA World Cup 26™ will be the first edition to feature 48 teams and to be hosted across three countries – United States, Mexico and Canada – while the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ will be held in South America for the first time in 2027. With the two tournaments set to make history, Lay’s is joining the hype by rewarding soccer fans in new and unexpected ways. The brand will break new ground in 2026 by recognizing and rewarding the “Fan of the Match” at every match, spotlighting those in the stands whose passion and energy bring the beautiful game to life, and providing them with one-of-a-kind experiences.
Additionally, Lay’s, and the full portfolio of food brands, will engage fans on a global scale via in-store and digital promotions leading up to the FIFA World Cup 26™ and the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2027™. The brands will also be prominently featured on the pitch during every match through LED stadium display board exposure, press conference backdrops, as well as products sold across concession stands. Going beyond the stadiums, Lay’s and the iconic food portfolio will deliver immersive consumer experiences at FIFA official fan zones across host cities.
Lay’s has established a strong legacy with FIFA and the world of soccer fandom. The brand has led massive culture-defining initiatives, including the No Lay’s, No Game platform, which has created viral moments with soccer mega-stars like David Beckham and Thierry Henry. The legendary duo, earlier this year, stunned an entire stadium of 75,000 cheering fans as they orchestrated an epic hunt for Lay’s. The brand additionally launched the instantly iconic Oh Lay’scampaign which took the traditional “Olé, Olé, Olé, Olé” mantra and put a Lay’s twist on it with the help of the G.O.A.T., Lionel Messi.
Gasperini wary of Arsenal ahead of Champions League opener
Gian Piero Gasperini acknowledges Thursday's Champions League meeting with Arsenal will be a difficult challenge for his Atalanta side following a mixed start to their Serie A campaign.
Atalanta sit eighth in the Italian top flight with two wins and two defeats from their first four games of 2024-25, having beaten Fiorentina 3-2 in a thriller on Sunday.
La Dea twice trailed to goals from Lucas Martinez Quarta and Moise Kean, only to fight back for victory with Mateo Retegui, Charles De Ketelaere and Ademola Lookman scoring.
Gasperini led Atalanta to Europa League glory last season, and they are preparing to step up to the revamped Champions League, with Arsenal the visitors for their first league-phase match next week.
Gasperini knows the Gunners will provide a huge test, telling DAZN: "It's not just their aerial power, it's the way they run and move the ball. They have fantastic dynamism.
"Arsenal are a great reference point in England, they dominated the Premier League last season along with Manchester City and Liverpool.
"We have never played against them and I think they will be a big test for us because of their intensity, quality and pace.
"We’re not used to teams with those characteristics, this could be a problem for us."
Gasperini also expressed frustration with the recent international break, noting that it had complicated efforts to prepare the team for their European campaign.
"Having the break for international duty was not helpful, as so many of them left again straight away," he said.
"I think first of all this team needs to find solidity, get those mechanisms running smoothly."
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