UEFA Awards: Messi, Ronaldo Snubbed In Nominations

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were overlooked after nominees for the 2019/2020 Champions League awards were unveiled Thursday.

 

Europe’s football governing body UEFA announced the 12-man nominees who will square off in four different categories of the awards.

 

The shortlist is unsurprisingly dominated by Champions League holders Bayern Munich who have seven players nominated.

 

Messi led Barcelona to the quarter-final where they were humiliated 8-2 by Bayern, while Ronaldo could do little as Juventus were dumped by Ligue 1 club Olympique Lyon in the round of 16.

 

In the Best Goalkeeper of the Season category, Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer will compete with Jan Oblak of Atletico Madrid and Keylor Navas of Paris Saint-Germain.

 

Bayern trio Joshua Kimmich, David Alaba and Alphonso Davies will slug it out for the Best Defender of the Season award.

 

For the Best Midfielder of the Season, it will be between Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne and Bayern duo Thomas Muller and Thiago Alcantara.

 

While for the Best Forward, PSG’s Neymar and Kylian Mbappe will go head-to-head with Robert Lewandowski of Bayern.

 

The winners of the 2019/2020 Champions League awards will be announced on October 1st at the Champions League draw.

 

2019/2020 Champions League Awards categories

 

Best Goalkeeper nominees:

 

Manuel Neuer  (Bayern Munich)

Jan Oblak  (Atletico Madrid)

Keylor Navas  (Paris Saint-Germain)

 

Best Defender nominees:

 

Joshua Kimmich  (Bayern Munich)

David Alaba (Bayern Munich)

Alphonso Davies  (Bayern Munich)

 

Best Midfielder nominees:

 

Thiago Alcantara  (Bayern Munich)

Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)

Kevin de Bruyne  (Manchester City)

 

Best Forward nominees:

 

Neymar (PSG)

Kylian Mbappe  (PSG)

Robert Lewandowski  (Bayern)