NYON, Switzerland — Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are on the 10-player shortlist to be named UEFA Best Player in Europe for last season. Fan favorite Will Grigg missed out but got as many points as Paul Pogba.
Ronaldo is joined by Pepe, his teammate on European champion teams Portugal and Real Madrid, on the shortlist voted by media from each of UEFA’s 55 member federation countries.
The 10 candidates had the biggest points totals in a first-round poll of voters who each picked five players.
Grigg, the Northern Ireland forward who became a cult hero at the European Championship without even playing, finished in joint 25th position. He tallied the same points as Pogba and Giorgio Chiellini.
The 10 candidates also include Madrid’s Gareth Bale and Toni Kroos, who both reached the Euro 2016 semifinals with Wales and Germany, respectively.
The players were selected by journalists from each of UEFA’s 55 members associations. A second round of voting will decide the three finalists named on Aug. 5.
The winner will be chosen in a final vote to be announced on Aug. 25 during the Champions League group-stage draw in Monaco.
Best Player in Europe candidates: Gareth Bale (Wales, Real Madrid), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy, Juventus), Antoine Griezmann (France, Atletico Madrid), Toni Kroos (Germany, Real Madrid), Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona), Thomas Mueller (Germany, Bayern Munich), Manuel Neuer (Germany, Bayern Munich), Pepe (Portugal, Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal, Real Madrid) and Luis Suarez (Uruguay, Barcelona).
Cuadrado to return to Chelsea
New Chelsea manager Antonio Conte has confirmed winger Juan Cuadrado will return to the club after a season-long loan at Italian champion Juventus.
The Colombian, who joined Juve from the Premier League side in August, scored four goals in 28 league matches last season to help the club to a Serie A and Coppa Italia double.
The 28-year-old had made little impact in 15 Chelsea appearances since moving to Stamford Bridge from Fiorentina for an estimated 23.3 million pound ($30.80 million).
“Juan Cuadrado is a Chelsea player. He will come back very soon. He’s in our squad, I’m very happy to have him and train him,” Conte, who coached Juve to three successive Serie A titles from 2012 to 2014, told the club’s website (www.chelseafc.com).
“I wanted him when I was a coach at Juventus and he will come back very soon and train and play with us. Now, he’s a Chelsea player and he’ll stay with us. If something changes you’ll know.”
Cuadrado made six appearances for Colombia at the Centenary Copa America last month in the United States to lead his country to a third-place finish.
