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UEFA Player Of The Year Shortlist Cut To Three Nominees, Including Two From Real Madrid

The shortlist for the 2021/22 UEFA Player of the Year award has been cut from 15 to just three.

Two of the remaining nominees are from Real Madrid in the shape of French forward Karim Benzema and Belgian goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Manchester City and Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne is the other player still in contention.

The winner will be announced on August 25 during the ceremony for the Champions League group stage draw in Istanbul, Turkey.

Fifteen players had featured on the original shortlist, including Robert Lewandowski, who finished fourth in the overall vote.

Karim Benzema celebrates by lifting his shirt after scoring for Real Madrid against PSG

Karim Benzema is one of three contenders to be named as the 2021/22 UEFA Player of the Year

UEFA Player Of The Year Shortlist And Placings

Top 3 (final placings TBC)

Karim Benzema (Real Madrid & France)
Thibaut Courtois (Real Madrid & Belgium)
Kevin De Bruyne (Man City & Belgium)

4th-15th

4. Robert Lewandowski (Bayern, now Barcelona & Poland) – 54 points
5. Luka Modric (Real Madrid & Croatia) – 52 points
6. Sadio Mane (Liverpool, now Bayern & Senegal) – 51 points
7. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool & Egypt) – 46 points
8. Kylian Mbappe (PSG & France) – 25 points
9. Vinícius Junior (Real Madrid & Brazil) – 21 points
10. Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool & Netherlands) – 19 points
11. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City & Portugal) – 7 points
12. Filip Kostic (Frankfurt, now Juventus & Serbia) – 7 points
13. Lorenzo Pellegrini (Roma & Italy) – 5 points
14. Trent Alexander-Arnold (Liverpool & England) – 2 points
15. Fabinho (Liverpool & Brazil) – 1 point

Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring against Dortmund on the day that Bayern Munich won the 2021/22 Bundesliga title

Robert Lewandowski was voted as the fourth best player in Europe after scoring 50 goals for Bayern Munich last season

Benzema and Courtois were arguably the two standout performers in Real's Champions League triumph last season.

Courtois was the man of the match in the final, having earlier saved a Lionel Messi penalty to help knock PSG out of the tournament in the round of 16.

Benzema ended the 2021/22 Champions League as the top goal scorer, having netted 15 times.

UEFA has also revealed the shortlist for the men's Coach of the Year award.

Real Madrid's Carlo Ancelotti is the overwhelming favorite to win it but City's Pep Guardiola and Liverpool's Jurgen Klopp have also been nominated.