Defending Champions Liverpool led UEFA’s shortlist for the upcoming Champions League awards. The European football body will honour the best forward, midfielder, defender and goalkeeper from the 2018/19 UEFA Champions League season. Liverpool beat Tottenham 2-0 to win its sixth Champions League trophy last season. Current title holders, Liverpool, have as many as five players in the shortlist for all four position with captain Jordan Henderson, Golden glove winner Alisson Becker, Virgil van Dijk and right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold all finding a place in UEFA’s positional awards shortlist. Cristiano Ronaldo vs Lionel Messi: Football Stars Shortlisted for Best Forwards for 2018-19 UEFA Champions League Award.

Winners will be presented with the awards during the 2019/20 UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on August 29 later this year. Coaches of all teams that played in the Champions League last season and select journalist – chosen by UEFA – vote for the players that determine the winner. Juventus superstar Cristiano Ronaldo and his nemesis Lionel Messi also found a place in the select shortlist from the top European football body. The shortlist put out by UEFA contained a total of three players each for all the four positions – Forwards, Midfielders, Midfielders and Goalkeepers.

Take a Look At the Select Shortlist for UEFA Champions League Awards 2018/19

Goalkeepers: Alisson Becker (Brazil – Liverpool FC); Hugo Lloris (France – Tottenham Hotspur FC); Marc-André ter Stegen (Germany – FC Barcelona)

Defenders: Trent Alexander-Arnold (England – Liverpool FC); Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands – AFC Ajax, now Juventus); Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands – Liverpool FC)

Midfielders: Frenkie de Jong (Netherlands – AFC Ajax, now FC Barcelona); Christian Eriksen (Denmark – Tottenham Hotspur FC); Jordan Henderson (England – Liverpool FC)

Forwards: Sadio Mané (Senegal – Liverpool FC); Lionel Messi (Argentina – FC Barcelona); Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal – Juventus)

Last season’s finalist Tottenham Hotspur found just two players in the shortlist with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and star midfielder Christian Eriksen the only spurs players nominated for the awards. Young Ajax players Matthijs de Ligt (defender) and Frenkie de Jong (midfielder), who caught everyone’s eye with their dazzling performance in Ajax’s run to the semi-finals, also found themselves in the UEFA shortlist. De Ligt has since completed a record move to Juventus, while de Jong has joined Barcelona.

Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Ander ter Stegen was the only player other than Messi to have been included in UEFA’s Liverpool dominated nominations for the Champions League awards. Ronaldo was the only Serie A representative in the select list.

The Apex European football body also announced the shortlist for the 2018/19 Europa League Player of the Season award. The jury for the Europa League shortlists composed of the coaches of the 48 clubs, which participated in the group stages of the Europa League last season.

Olivier Giroud (France – Chelsea FC); Eden Hazard (Belgium – Chelsea FC, now at Real Madrid CF); Luka Jović (Serbia – Eintracht Frankfurt, now at Real Madrid CF) were the top three players in the nominated list.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 08, 2019 08:13 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).