Ronaldo, Messi, Rapinoe nominated for FIFA best player award

The Associated Press

5 years ago

Juventus soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo speaks after receiving the Lifetime Achievement award ... — Juventus soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo speaks after receiving the Lifetime Achievement award given by the Spanish sports paper ‘Marca’, in Madrid, Spain, Monday, July 29, 2019. (AP Photo/Paul White)

Reign FC midfielder Allie Long, left, and forward Megan Rapinoe, right, wrap themselves in an American Flag during a pregame ceremony honoring the Women’s World Cup players at Cheney Stadium, Sunday, July 28, 2019, in Tacoma, Wash. The Reign FC played the Chicago Red Stars in a National Women’s Soccer League match. (Joshua Bessex/The News Tribune via AP)

Argentina’s Lionel Messi, center left, and Chile’s Gary Medel, center right, scuffle as referee Mario Diaz, from Paraguay, left, shows the red card to both of them during Copa America third-place soccer match at the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, Brazil on July 6, 2019. South America’s governing soccer body CONMEBOL, has given Argentina star Lionel Messi on Tuesday, July 23, a one game suspension and $1500 fine for the incident. (AP Photo/Victor R. Caivano, File)

GENEVA — Five-time winners Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are among the 10 candidates for the FIFA best player award. United States forward Megan Rapinoe is the favorite for the women’s award.

Ronaldo and Messi were joined by three Liverpool players, Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Sadio Mane. Liverpool won the Champions League title in June.

Rapinoe was in a list of 12 players that included teammates Alex Morgan, Rose Lavelle and Julie Ertz. Ada Hegerberg, a Norway forward who won the Ballon d’Or but skipped this year’s World Cup, was also nominated.