News; FIFA rivals Ballon d’or with “The Best” football awards

 FIFA announced...
a rival award to Ballon d’Or on Monday, naming it ‘The Best’ awards. The handing out of this award to outstanding footballers will begin January. This unveiling follows the expiration of the contract between France Football and the world’s game governing body.
This new award will include greater fan participation which will be made possible by a new voting system in the player and coach of the year categories. The winners will be selected through a process in which 50 per cent of the result is based on the choices of team captains and head coaches of all of the national teams registered with FIFA.
 The other 50 per cent will be split between the result of an online public ballot and the submissions from a selected group of more than 200 media representatives from around the world.
 Speaking, FIFA president Gianni Infantino explained that: “This event will be about football and its most passionate participants – players, coaches and fans. “It is a new event with new approaches to celebrating the game we all love.” Players will continue to choose the line-up for the FIFPro World11, while fans will select the Puskas Award for goal of the year through an online public ballot.
 The shortlists for the coach and player awards – for both men and women categories- will be made public this week with the final three nominees in each category announced on December 2.