'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
UEFA earlier announced its top three nominees for best players in the different positional categories of last season's Champions League.
A jury of all 32 coaches of clubs who participated in the Champions League as well as select journalists from each of UEFA's 55-member nations were asked to submit a list of their top three performers in each position, with a player receiving five points for every first place vote, three for second and one for a third-place finish.
After tallying the votes, the final three-man shortlist was revealed, with champions Liverpool unsurprisingly dominating in every category.
The shortlist of nominees in full:
Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker (Brazil - Liverpool), Hugo Lloris (France - Tottenham), Marc-Andre ter Stegen (Germany, Barcelona)
Defenders: Trent-Alexander Arnold (England - Liverpool), Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands - AFC Ajax, now Juventus), Virgil Van Dijk (Netherlands - Liverpool)
Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands - AFC Ajax, now Barcelona), Christian Eriksen (Denmark, Tottenham), Jordan Henderson (England, Liverpool)
Forwards: Sadio Mane (Senegal - Liverpool), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal - Juventus), Lionel Messi (Argentina - Barcelona)
Olivier Giroud, Eden Hazard and Luka Jovic were also unveiled as the final three nominees to be named Europe League Player of the Year after their heroics in the second tier of European club football last season.
The awards were introduced two years ago to reward performances of players in respective positions in Europe's premier club competition. Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos, Luka Modric and Cristiano Ronaldo are the current holders of the awards in the four categories.
The winners would be announced alongside the UEFA Women's and Men's Player of the Year at a gala on August 29, when the group stage for next season's Champions League would also be drawn.
In this piece, we shall be ranking the three contenders for Forward of the Year based on their likelihood to win the award.
#3 Sadio Mane (Liverpool)
Sadio Mane was one of Liverpool's star men as Jurgen Klopp's men made it all the way to the final of the Champions League, making up for their loss to Real Madrid the previous year by defeating Tottenham 2-0 in the showpiece event.
Though he did not score in the final, the Senegalese international had a huge say in getting Klopp's men that far. He recorded four goals and three assists in Liverpool's successful campaign.
Mane had a quiet group stage, scoring just one and assisting two as Liverpool were on the brink of elimination. He then went on to play a pivotal role in eliminating Bayern Munich in the Round of 16, scoring two vital away goals at the Allianz Arena to dump the Bundesliga champions out in their own backyard.
A further goal and assist were registered in the second leg 4-1 quarterfinal victory over Porto. Though these were his last goal involvements for Liverpool, his pace and directness posed problems for Barcelona and Tottenham in the semifinal and final respectively.
#2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)
Cristiano Ronaldo completed a record-breaking transfer to Juventus last summer to guide the Bianconerri to Champions League glory.
The 34-year-old began his campaign in his domain rather slowly by his pristine standards. He received a red card in his Champions League debut for the Italian giants scoring just one goal and registering two assists from five group stage matches.
However, the Madeira native has made a career for himself as the man for the big occasions, and that once more proved to be the case. When Juventus seemingly had their backs against the wall after posting a 2-0 first-leg deficit to the notoriously defensively solid Atletico Madrid, there was Ronaldo - rising highest to bail his side out by scoring a spectacular hat-trick to eliminate the Spaniards.
In the quarterfinals, he overcame an injury scare to score in both legs against Ajax. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough, as the Bianconerri were eliminated by the youthful Dutch side.
Even though he did not inspire Juventus to the Champions League trophy as hoped, Ronaldo was the only player to score in the knockout rounds of the tournament for Juventus. His six goals and two assists from eight matches were more than a decent return from him.
#1 Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
There really is only one clear winner for this award, and there's no prizes for guessing who it is. With all due respect to Mane and Ronaldo, Lionel Messi was on another level with his performances last season.
The Argentine international absolutely breezed his way through the group stage, sending a statement of intent by netting a spectacular hat-trick on the opening day against PSV.
pite missing two games with an fractured arm, Lionel Messi's class still shone through the group stages. He scored six goals and assisted one as Barcelona finished top of their group for the 12th year running - a Champions League record - and made it to the Round of 16 for the 15th consecutive year.
He did not stop there, as he continued his monstrous displays all through the knockout rounds, putting Lyon to the sword with a pair of goals and assists each in the 5-1 round-of-16 demolition. He then went on to break his quarterfinal hoodoo with a brace against Manchester United, and register another brace in what was an ultimately futile 3-0 semifinal victory over Liverpool.
In total, Lionel Messi ended the campaign with 12 goals, which was enough to see him win the UCL Golden Boot for the fifth time, while also contributing a further three assists from 10 games. These accolades and numbers are enough to install him as the overwhelming favourite to be named the 2019 UEFA Champions League Best Forward.
