Ronaldo, Messi and goalkeeper Buffon on Uefa shortlist for player of the year

16 August 2017 - 07:22 By Reuters
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Cristiano Ronaldo, a nominee for the Uefa player of the year award.
Cristiano Ronaldo, a nominee for the Uefa player of the year award.
Image: Denis Doyle for FIFA/FIFA via Getty Image

Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Gianluigi Buffon have been nominated for the Uefa player of the year award, football's European governing body said on Tuesday.

Ronaldo helped Real Madrid to a second consecutive Champions League title last season and finished as the tournament's top scorer with 12 goals.

Goalkeeper Buffon led Italy's Juventus to a sixth successive Serie A title, a third straight Italian Cup success and a runner-up finish in the Champions League.

Messi claimed the Spanish King's Cup with Barcelona and finished as La Liga's top scorer with 37 goals last season.

The three-player shortlist was selected by a panel of 80 coaches of the clubs that took part in last season's Champions League and Europa League group stages and 55 journalists selected by European Sports Media.

Messi and Ronaldo have both won the award twice, with the Portugal international voted winner last year.

Wolfsburg striker Pernille Harder, Olympique Lyon midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan and Barcelona winger Lieke Martens were shortlisted for Uefa's women's player of the year award.

New sensation in the sport Martens was named the women's Euro 2017 player of the tournament earlier this month after helping the Netherlands to their first senior female continental title.

The awards will be presented at this season's Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on August 24. 

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