Federation International de Football Association has released the list for the world best player and coach of the year, raising controversies over the work rate of some stars that made the list.

The unpredictability of the FIFA award nomination list never seems to amaze many, despite the numerous controversies the list has generated in recent times, the football committee in charge of the compilation still left football fans shocked this year when notable names of players and coaches who had an excellent football season where missing on the list.

The world governing body football committee with the help of French magazine France Football compiled the list which includes 23 players for the best player of the year in male category, ten players for the best player of the year in the female category and with a slew of the world best football strategists filling a group of ten worthy managers.

However, with the explosive performances of Christiano Ronaldo, who his 17 goals in the champions league helped Real Madrid win the much awaited champions league for a record ten times, his inclusion came not as a surprise to any, even as four times winner Lonel Messi is also among the 23 players on FIFA's list of contenders for this year's award. It can be recalled that Messi won the award four straight years from 2009-2012, while Ronaldo won it in 2008 and 2013.The award was presented solely by France Football until 2009, and the publication joined with FIFA's World Player of the Year Award for the 2010 edition.

The list of the 23 players, really generated controversies when it was released as the name of Barcelona striker Luis Suarez was missing. Suarez who was named the Premier League's Player of the Year last season while at Liverpool and shared the Golden Ball award as Europe's top goal scorer last term with Ronaldo, but he has since moved to Barcelona after the world cup, following his four-month ban for biting Italy's Giorgio Chiellini during a match at the tournament. Pundits claim that the Uruguayan deserves a place on the list been the fact that he single handedly gave Liverpool their first ever Champions League appearance since 2009, while many feel he is been punished for his bad conduct at the world football fiesta in Brazil.

Here is a list of the 23 nominees:

2014 FIFA World Player of the Year List

PlayersClub/National Team



Thibaut CourtoisChelsea / Belgium

Andres IniestaBarcelona/ Spain

Sergio RamosBarcelona/ Spain

Yaya ToureMancity/ Cote d’voire

Karim BenzemaReal Madrid/ France

Javier MacheranoBarcelona/ Argentina

Bastian SchweinstegerBayern Munich/ Germany

Eden HazardChelsea/ Belgium

Zlatan IbrahimovicPSG/ Sweden

Mario GotzeBayern Munich/ Germany

Diego CostaChelsea/ Spain

Angel Di MariaManchester United/ Argentina

Philipp LahmBayern Munich/ Germany

Toni KroosReal Madrid/ Germany

James RodriguezReal Madrid/ Columbia

Gareth BaleReal Madrid/ Wales

Paul PogbaJuventus/ France

Arjen RobbenBayern Munich/ Netherlands

Manuel NeuerBayern Munich/ Germany

NeymarBarcelona/ Brazil

Thomas MullerBayern Munich/ Germany

Lionel MessiBarcelona/ Argentina

Christiana RonaldoReal Madrid/ Portugal

However, following a world cup year, FIFA didn’t disappoint, as there are four international coaches out of the ten shortlisted for the award, as Louis Van Gaal is being touted for his work with the Netherlands national team at the Brazil 2014 world cup, where he guided them to the semi final of the money spinning tournament, rather than Manchester United, where he is yet to find his feet.

Here is a list of the final 10 nominees:

2014 FIFA World Coach of the Year Finalists

ManagerClub/National Team

Louis Van GaalNetherland/ Manchester United

Diego SimeoneAtletico Madrid

Alejandro SabellaArgentina

Jose MourinhoChelsea

Joachim LowGermany

Jurgen KlinsmanUSA

Pep GuardiolaBayern Munich

Antonio ConteJuventus

Carlo AncelotiReal Madrid

Manuel PellegriniManchester City



The award which started in 2010 also has previous winners such as Pep Gaurdiola and Jose Mourinho, both managers remain in contention to be the first ever to win the award twice. Mourinho who won the award during his reign at Inter Milan where he won the Champions League for the Italian Giants, the ‘Special One’ as he is fondly called finished the season trophy-less with Chelsea football club, but his inclusion has sparked controversies among football pundits, who have questioned the Portuguese tactician’s appearance on the list, claiming that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger should have replaced the Chelsea manager after he led the ‘Gunner’s’ to their first trophy in nine years last season when they won the English FA cup.

With the exploits of the United States at the FIFA world cup in Brazil where Jurgen Klinsman guided them to the knock out stage of the competition against all odds, his inclusion was merited, but despite his achievements, it is hard to see him edge out Germany Joachim Low and Argentina’s Alejandro Sabella in the three finalists after their great runs in Brazil. Joachim Low would have been touted as the front runner for the award after he led the Germans to their fourth world cup trophy but history doesn’t favour him as Vicente del Bosque finished as a runner up to the then Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho in 2010 after Spain won the world cup that same year.

This year award promises to be fiercely contested for, as many club mangers who had wonderful season such as Diego Simeone of Atletico Madrid who against all odds edged out Barcelona and Real Madrid in the race for the 2013/2014 La Liga trophy as well as defeating English power house Chelsea in the semi-final of the champions league to set up an all Spanish final against Real Madrid. After Antonio Conte inspired Juventus to another Serie A dominant, has been seen as one of the contenders but with Carlo Anceloti helping Real Madrid to the ‘La Decima’ in the champions league he has edged out the other club managers in the race for the trophy.

As usual FIFA also unveiled the shortlists of ten players for the women’s world player of the year and ten coaches for the coach of the year.

The list for the best male player, best female player as well as best male and female coach will be trimmed to a shortlist of three on Dec. 1, with the eventual winner expected to be announced at a ceremony in Zurich on Jan 12, 2015. .COM



By: Philips Sunday