FIFA Best awards: Rodri, Vinícius Jr. lead nominees

The FIFA Best men's player award for 2024 could be another contest between Rodri and Vinícius Júnior after the pair were included on the shortlist for the prize on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Barcelona's Aitana Bonmatí leads the shortlist of nominees for the women's award.

Votes for the best players, coaches, and goalkeepers will be weighed equally between fans, current national team captains and media representatives.

A date for the awards show has not been announced yet.

Vinícius and Real Madrid boycotted the Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris in October after learning that Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri would win ahead of the Brazil international.

Rodri could add the FIFA award to his résumé after helping City to win a record fourth consecutive Premier League title as well as leading Spain to Euro 2024, where he was named the tournament's best player.

Meanwhile, Vinícius is one his main rivals for the prize. The forward scored 24 goals and provided 11 assists in all competitions last season for LaLiga champions Madrid, including his team's second goal in their Champions League final win against Borussia Dortmund.

He is one of six Madrid players in the running for FIFA's men's award, with recently-retired Toni Kroos and summer-signing Kylian Mbappé also shortlisted.

Rodri's Manchester City teammate Erling Haaland is also in the running. So too is Inter Miami captain Lionel Messi, who won the award last year, has also made the cut.

Messi, 37, captained Argentina at the 2024 Copa América and led them to title.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who recently surpassed 900 career goals, was left out of the FIFA Best men's selection.

The Portugal captain, who scored a Saudi Pro League record 35 goals last season for Al Nassr, is on the shortlist for best attacker.

On the women's side, Bonmatí is well-placed to win her second straight FIFA Best award after also winning another Ballon d'Or Féminin.

In October, she beat out Barça teammate Caroline Graham Hansen, who is also nominated for the FIFA award.

Five players in the NWSL have been nominated, including Zambia forward Barbra Banda who led Orlando Pride to the league title last weekend.

FIFA Best men's award nominees:

Dani Carvajal (Spain), Real Madrid
Erling Haaland (Norway), Manchester City
Federico Valverde (Uruguay), Real Madrid
Florian Wirtz (Germany), Bayer Leverkusen
Jude Bellingham (England), Real Madrid
Kylian Mbappé (France), Paris Saint Germain/Real Madrid
Lamine Yamal (Spain), Barcelona
Lionel Messi (Argentina), Inter Miami
Rodri (Spain), Manchester City
Toni Kroos (Germany), Real Madrid (now retired)
Vinícius Junior (Brazil), Real Madrid

FIFA Best women's award nominees:

Aitana Bonmatí (Spain), Barcelona
Barbra Banda (Zambia), Shanghai Shengli/Orlando Pride
Caroline Graham Hansen (Norway), Barcelona
Keira Walsh (England), Barcelona
Khadija Shaw (Jamaica), Manchester City
Lauren Hemp (England), Manchester City
Lindsey Horan (United States), Lyon
Lucy Bronze (England), Barcelona/Chelsea
Mallory Swanson (United States), Chicago Red Stars
Mariona Caldentey (Spain), Barcelona/Arsenal
Naomi Girma (United States), San Diego Wave
Ona Batlle (Spain), Barcelona
Salma Paralluelo (Spain), Barcelona
Sophia Smith (United States), Portland Thorns
Tabitha Chawinga (Malawi), Paris Saint Germain/Lyon
Trinity Rodman (United States), Washington Spirit