Andrés Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been shortlisted for the 2011/12 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award.
Messi – the recipient of the accolade 12 months ago – FC Barcelona team-mate Iniesta and Real Madrid CF’s Ronaldo gained the most points in a vote involving 53 sports journalists representing each of the UEFA member associations.
In Monaco the journalists will vote live, via an electronic system, for their best player from the shortlist. Positions four to ten are already fixed after each journalist provided a list of their top five players, with the first receiving five points, the second four points and so on:
4 Andrea Pirlo (ITA) – Juventus (90 points)
5 Xavi Hernández (ESP) – FC Barcelona (57)
6 Iker Casillas (ESP) – Real Madrid CF (53)
7 Didier Drogba (CIV) – Chelsea FC* (31)
8= Petr Čech (CZE) – Chelsea FC (14)
8= Falcao (COL) – Club Atlético de Madrid (14)
10 Mesut Özil (GER) – Real Madrid CF (10)
*Has since joined Shanghai Shenhua FC (China)
The accolade, created in partnership with European Sports Media (ESM), recognises the best player, irrespective of his nationality, playing for a club within the territory of a UEFA member association during the previous season.
via UEFA
