Amunike joins panel to pick FIFA player of the year

Emmanuel Amunike has been listed among 13 judges to decide the shortlisted candidates for the 2018 best FIFA men’s players award.

Amunike will be joined by Ronaldo Nazario de Lima, Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Lothar Mathaus, Alessandro Nesta and former England coach Fabio Capello.

Other judges are Sami Jabar, Cha Bum-Kun, Andy Roxburgh, Kaka, Wynston Rufer and Carlos Alberto Parreira.

The Best FIFA Football Awards is the premier annual awards celebration held by football’s world governing body.

The judges will shortlist 10 candidates for each category, and they will be unveiled on July 23.

Football fans, national team captains, head coaches and more than 200 media representatives will subsequently cast their votes to decide who will be crowned the best players and coaches.

In 2017, Cristiano Ronaldo picked up the best men’s player award, Lieke Martens was crowned best women’s player, Zinédine Zidane was named best men’s coach and Sarina Wiegman was best women’s coach.

FIFA will announce the three nominees for each of the four categories in September.

Best FIFA men’s judging panel include

Sami Al-Jaber (KSA)
Cha Bum-kun (KOR)
Didier Drogba (CIV)
Kaka (BRA)
Wynton Rufer (NZL)
Frank Lampard (ENG)
Fabio Capello (ITA)
Carlos Alberto Parreira (BRA)
Alessandro Nesta (ITA)
Lothar Matthaus (GER)
Emmanuel Amunike (NGA)
Ronaldo (BRA)
Andy Roxburgh (SCO)

Best FIFA women’s judging panel

Belinda Wilson (AUS)
Sun Wen (CHN)
Jacky Shipanga (NAM)
Clementine Toure (CIV)
Mia Hamm (USA)
Andrea Rodebaugh (MEX)
Sissi (BRA)
Diego Guacci (CHL)
Patrick Jacquemet (FRA)
Maia Jackman (NZL)
Anna Signeul (SWE)
Nadine Kessler (GER)

FIFA Puskas award judging panel

Alex Scott (ENG)
Miroslav Klose (GER)
David Trezeguet (FRA)
Aline Pellegrino (BRA)
Iker Casillas (ESP)
Marco van Basten (NED)
Pablo Aimar (ARG)

Best FIFA goalkeeper award judging panel

Vítor Baia (POR)
Peter Schmeichel (DEN)
Jorge Campos (MEX)
Gordon Banks (ENG)
Rinat Dasayev (RUS)
Mark Schwarzer (AUS)
Rene Higuita (COL)
Diego Forlan (URU)
Frederic Kanoute (MLI)
Alessandro Altobelli (ITA)

Fan award judging panel

Homare Sawa (JPN)
Christie Pearce Rampone (USA)
Cafu (BRA)
Lucas Radebe (RSA)
Christian Karembeu (FRA)
Bora Milutinovic (SRB)
Lindsay Tarpley-Snow (USA)