Southgate and Kane in running for FIFA awards

ENGLAND boss Gareth Southgate has been named on the shortlist for The Best FIFA Men’s Coach 2018 award, while captain Harry Kane joins Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi in the battle for the player trophy.

The period covered July 3, 2017 to July 15 this year and the 10 nominees were selected by a panel of football experts. Fans from around the world will now also be able to cast their vote until August 10, with the winners of all the categories announced at FIFA’s official awards ceremony in London on September 24.

Southgate’s side qualified for the 2018 World Cup with an unbeaten record before going on to reach the semi-finals, eventually finishing fourth in Russia.

Tottenham forward Kane won the Golden Boot with his six goals as England produced their best World Cup finish since 1990, coming on the back of the 30 he scored during the Premier League season.

Other Premier League players to be included are Belgium duo Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard, of Manchester City and Chelsea, and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah, who enjoyed a superb club campaign as the Reds reached the Champions League final.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola and Liverpool’s Jurgen Klopp join Southgate on the shortlist for the coach award.

Spaniard Guardiola masterminded City’s dominant Premier League campaign, while German Klopp won many plaudits for the approach of his side on their European run.

World Cup winner Didier Deschamps of France also makes the 10-man coach shortlist, along with Croatia’s Zlatko Dalic, whose side knocked England out before finishing runners-up in Russia.

Ronaldo collected the 2017 FIFA player accolade ahead of Messi, who went on to help Barcelona to a domestic double last season.

Neymar was third in the 2017 voting, but the Paris St Germain and Brazil forward, the world’s most expensive player, does not make the shortlist this year.

Portugal international Ronaldo scored 15 goals as Real won the Champions League for a third successive campaign and, following the World Cup, he joined Juventus in an unexpected £99million move.

France’s victorious World Cup team is well represented for the individual player award, with forwards Kylian Mbappe and Antoine Griezmann and defender Raphael Varane all included, as is Croatia captain Luka Modric.

The nominees for coach award also include Massimiliano Allegri, who led Juventus to a record seventh successive Serie A title, Russian coach Stanislav Cherchesov, whose team enjoyed an unexpected run to the quarterfinals as World Cup hosts, and Belgium’s Roberto Martinez.