Argentine star Lionel Messi, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and Luis Suarez of Uruguay were named the three finalists nominated for the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award of the 2014-2015 season, to be announced on August 27.
Journalists from each of the 54 world football's governing body UEFA associations gave a list of their top five players.
The 10 players with the most points entered a second ballot, which on Wednesday whittled down the list to three finalists: two players from Spanish club FC Barcelona and one from fellow rivals Real Madrid.
Next, jury members will submit their selection from among the finalists, and will meet the winner during the draw for the group stage of the 2015-2016 Champions League, also to be held on August 27 in Monaco.
The UEFA prize has so far been awarded to Messi in 2011, Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta in 2012, German midfielder Franck Ribery in 2013, and striker Cristiano Ronaldo in 2014.
Messi and Cristiano are thus looking to win the award for the second time and Luis Suarez for the first.
The fourth favourite nominee was Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, and Brazil's Neymar came in fifth.
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
