Iniesta, Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo shortlisted for UEFA Best Player awardAugust 14, 2012 - 17:20 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Andrés Iniesta, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have been shortlisted for the 2011/12 UEFA Best Player in Europe Award. Messi – the recipient of the accolade 12 months ago – FC Barcelona team-mate Iniesta and Real Madrid CF's Cristiano Ronaldo gained the most points in a vote among 53 sports journalists representing each of the UEFA member associations. Iniesta's Spain colleague Xavi Hernández, second in the inaugural poll of 2011, finished fifth, just behind one of his opponents in the UEFA EURO 2012 final, Juventus and Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo. The top three will now go into a deciding vote in Monaco during the UEFA Champions League group stage draw on August 30. Messi enjoyed an extraordinary 2011/12 campaign, beating 46-goal Ronaldo to the ESM Golden Shoe with a half-century of strikes and topping the scoring charts in the UEFA Champions League for the fourth successive season with a record total of 14. Ronaldo's total, however, was instrumental in the Merengues claiming their first Liga title in four years. Iniesta was voted Best Player of the Tournament at UEFA EURO 2012. In Monaco the journalists will vote live, via an electronic system, for their best player from the shortlist. Positions four to ten are already fixed after each journalist provided a list of their top five players, with the first receiving five points, the second four points and so on, UEFA official website reported. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Viva-MTS: Tech solutions to modernize infrastructure of border village The border village has been the focus of Viva-MTS and the Foundation for the Preservation of Wildlife and Cultural Values since 2015. Ucom's fixed network launched in Artashat To mark this occasion, the company has introduced a special offer exclusively for Artashat residents. “By Your Side”: IDBank's new support program for displaced Artsakh citizens IDBank is launching a long-term social support program for forcibly displaced Artsakh residents. The Power of One Dram to benefit Road of Life charity The companies inform that the May beneficiary of The Power of One Dram is the “Road of Life” charitable organization. |