ZURICH: World federation FIFA will stage its The Best Football Awards on Monday, January 17, once again as a virtual event out of its headquarters in Zurich.

For once, as the Messi/Ronaldo era draws to a close the field for the men’s award is more open than in many years.

A FIFA statement said:

In most countries around the world, competitions have resumed under almost normal conditions. Thanks to hard work, solidarity and special measures, football has brought comfort and joy to many people. It is therefore important for FIFA and football across the globe to recognise these performances in the following categories:

• The Best FIFA Women’s Player
• The Best FIFA Men’s Player
• The Best FIFA Women’s Coach
• The Best FIFA Men’s Coach
• The Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper
• The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper
• FIFA FIFPRO Women’s World 11
• FIFA FIFPRO Men’s World 11
• FIFA Fair Play Award
• FIFA Puskás Award (awarded for the best goal of the year)
• FIFA Fan Award

The awards reward the best in each category, regardless of championship or nationality, for their respective achievements during the season 2020/2021, which also include the Olympic Football Tournaments in Tokyo.

In addition, the show will also include other special presentations in recognition of outstanding performances.

The Best incorporates the views of the four pillars of the footballing world. The recipients of the trophies for the top players and coaches in both women’s and men’s football will be determined through a combined voting process involving the captains and head coaches of all national teams around the world, an online ballot of fans and submissions from a select group of more than 300 media representatives as per the Rules of Allocation

Voting will open on Monday, 22 November and close on Friday, December 10.

######