UEFA produce three-man shortlist for top award.
UEFA have announced that Bayern Munich duo Arjen Robben and Manuel Neuer will be joined by Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo on the final shortlist for the Best Player In Europe Award, to be announced in Monaco on August 28.
Manuel Neuer, Arjen Robben & Cristiano Ronaldo make up the shortlist for the UEFA Best Player in Europe award. #BPIE pic.twitter.com/hIZ3nECUNu
— Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) August 14, 2014
The players gained the most points from a second poll of journalists from each of UEFA’s 54 member associations, the three having been part of a ten-strong shortlist announced last month that was a product of a first round of voting by the same reporters. The overall winner will be decided by a live vote in Monaco on 28 August during the UEFA Champions League group stage draw.
Ronaldo has previously claimed this award back in 2011, but this is the first time he has been nominated for the gong since.
Manuel Neuer possibly represents the biggest surprise, but he was an ever present in Germany’s World cup campaign and played a pivotal role in helping them toward their success.
Meanwhile, Arjen Robben, who also enjoyed a strong domestic campaign, was in scintillating form at the World Cup, too, helping the Netherlands to record a third place finish.
More details for how the awards work can be seen on UEFA’s official website.