Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Neymar have been named as the finalists for the FIFA Best Men’s Player award in 2017.
Ronaldo helped Real Madrid to a second consecutive Champions League title and finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 12 goals earlier this year.
Messi and Neymar claimed the Copa del Rey with Barcelona with Messi finishing as La Liga’s top scorer with 37 goals last season.
Real Madrid shot-stopper Keylor Navas and Bayern Munich’s Manuel Neuer was joined by Juventus captain Gianluigi Buffon in shortlisted for the Best FIFA Goalkeeper award after leading the Italian club to a sixth successive Serie A title and a runner-up in the Champions League.
Chelsea’s Antonio Conte,Real Madrid manager Zinedine Zidane,nd Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri were up for FIFA Best Men’s Coach award.
The Portuguese forward Ronaldo won the accolade last year, which was the inaugural edition of the event.
There had been 24 players named on the previous shortlist for his year’s honour, with Gianluigi Buffon, Paulo Dybala, Griezmann, Harry Kane, Sergio Ramos and Alexis Sanchez among the names to be cut before the final three.
The panel to decide the Best Men’s Player included Cafu, Landon Donovan, Enzo Francescoli, Diego Maradona, Carles Puyol, Carlos Valderrama and Edwin van der Sar.
The winner will be announced at the London Palladium on October 23.
