On 17 January, the FIFA World Player will be crowned at a big gala. In the goalkeeper category, Manuel Neuer could defend his title. The women’s finalists have also been decided.
2020 saw the FC Bayern goalkeeper prevail over Atletico Madrid’s Jan Oblak and Liverpool’s Alisson, who triumphed in 2019. In 2021, national keeper Neuer will now face European champion Gianluigi Donnarumma, currently under contract with Paris Saint-Germain, and Champions League winner Edouard Mendy of Chelsea FC.
This means that the three finalists have been decided. Alisson and Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) have been dropped from the five-man shortlist, FIFA announced on Wednesday.
Berger is in the top trio
For the first time, a German could lift the world goalkeeper’s trophy in the women’s competition. Ann-Katrin Berger is among the three finalists. The 31-year-old won the Champions League with Chelsea FC.
Besides Berger, Chilean Christiane Endler (Olympique Lyon) and Canadian Stephanie Labbé (Paris Saint-Germain) can still hope for the title. Hedvig Lindahl (Atletico Madrid) and Alyssa Naeher (Chicago Red Stars), on the other hand, are no longer involved.
