Nominees for UEFA club competition awards revealed

By Fatih Erel

ISTANBUL (AA) - UEFA announced on Thursday the names of the players shortlisted for the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League positional awards.

The awards ceremony will be held during the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on Thursday, Aug. 29, for the best goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward from the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League season.

“The jury comprised the coaches of the 32 clubs that participated in the group stage of the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League, together with 55 journalists from each of UEFA's 55 member associations, and selected by the European Sports Media (ESM) group. Coaches were not allowed to vote for players from their own teams,” UEFA said in a statement.

The three players who received the most points overall in each positional category are as follows:

Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker (Brazil – Liverpool); Hugo Lloris (France – Tottenham Hotspur); Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Germany – Barcelona)

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England – Liverpool); Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands – Ajax, now at Juventus); Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands – Liverpool)

Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands – Ajax, now at Barcelona); Christian Eriksen (Denmark – Tottenham Hotspur); Jordan Henderson (England – Liverpool)

Forwards: Sadio Mane (Senegal – Liverpool); Lionel Messi (Argentina – Barcelona); Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal – Juventus)

UEFA also announced the nominees for the 2018/19 UEFA Europa League Player of the Season award.

The three players who received the most points overall are:

Players: Olivier Giroud (France – Chelsea); Eden Hazard (Belgium – Chelsea, now at Real Madrid); Luka Jovic (Serbia – Eintracht Frankfurt, now at Real Madrid).