The Best FIFA Football Awards 2021: Predicting the winners tonight

The Best FIFA Men’s Goalkeeper award: Gianluigi Donnarumma

Paris Saint-Germain v Manchester City: Group A - UEFA Champions League

Paris Saint-Germain's (PSG) Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, Chelsea’s Senegalese shot-stopper Edouard Mendy and Bayern Munich's German custodian Manuel Neuer are the finalists for the Best FIFA Goalkeeper award.

All three were exceptional in their own right, but Gianluigi Donnarumma’s inhumane effort at Euro in Italian colors was something out of the ordinary. Had it not been for his heroics in the penalties, Italy wouldn’t have been able to bag the European Championship in the summer of 2021.

Donnarumma is our pick for the Best FIFA Goalkeeper award in Zurich tonight.

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Puskas award: Patrik Schick (Czech Republic vs Scotland | Euro 2020)

Borussia Mönchengladbach v Bayer 04 Leverkusen - Bundesliga

Mehdi Taremi, Erik Lamela and Patrik Schick are the three finalists for the Puskas award at The Best FIFA Football Awards tonight.

FC Porto’s Taremi has been nominated for his strike against Chelsea in the Champions League in April 2021. Former Tottenham Hotspur star Lamela got the nod for his blinder against Arsenal in the Premier League back in March 2021. Schick, meanwhile, booked a place following his out-of-the-world strike against Scotland at Euro 2020 in June 2021.

We believe Schick’s strike against the Scots was the most outlandish of the lot and could end up winning the Puskas at the Best FIFA Football Awards.

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The Best FIFA Women’s player: Alexia Putellas

Ballon D'Or : Ceremony At Theatre Du Chatelet In Paris

Last year’s The Best Women’s player Lucy Bronze has not been able to get into the three-woman shortlist this year. Barcelona duo Alexia Putellas and Jennifer Hermoso, alongside Chelsea ace Sam Kerr, have made the cut.

Although all three women were exceptional for their clubs and countries, current Ballon d’Or winner Alexia Putellas seems to be the favorite this time around. The midfielder scored 26 goals in all competitions last season, emerging as the highest-scoring midfielder in Europe.

Her contributions helped Barcelona to their first-ever continental treble and she is currently on her way to yet another fruitful campaign. Winning her first Best Women’s player award seems more likely than ever at this point.

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The Best FIFA Men’s player: Robert Lewandowski

1. FC Köln v FC Bayern München - Bundesliga

The Best Men’s Player’s shortlist was cut to three earlier in January. As things stand, one of Lionel Messi, Robert Lewandowski, or Mohamed Salah will take home the prestigious award this year. Cristiano Ronaldo has not managed to make the shortlist this year.

While Salah has produced some stellar performances for Liverpool over the last year, we believe he will finish third in this race. The current Ballon d’Or holder, Lionel Messi, could finish second, primarily down to his poor run of form for PSG in Ligue 1.

Bayern’s Lewandowski, who scored 69 goals in 2021, is set to retain his title and win The Best men’s player award for the second time running.