Emiliano Dibu Martínez, Thibaut Courtois and Yassine Bounou have been announced as the three finalists for The Best FIFA goalkeeper of the year award. The award recognizes the most outstanding players in men’s soccer from 8 August 2021 to 18 December 2022, with the winner to be revealed at a ceremony in Paris on 27 February 2023.
The initial list of candidates included five goalkeepers, but Brazilians Alisson Becker and Ederson have fallen by the wayside. An expert jury handled the voting. It is made up of national team coaches and captains, football journalists and fans, who cast their votes on the official FIFA website.
“Martínez was a figure of inspiration and excellence in Argentina during his triumphant campaign in Qatar 2022,” begins the FIFA text of Dibu, who also won the World Cup best goalkeeper award at the age of 30.
He adds: “His reputation as a penalty-taker was further enhanced by impressive saves in Argentina’s victories over the Netherlands and France. That stunning final also saw Martínez make one of the most important goalkeeping saves in the history of football.”
On Dibu’s save, he elaborated: “With the score closed at 3-3 and ahead on 123 minutes, France striker Randal Kolo Muani ran towards goal and fired a shot that looked like it was destined for the bottom corner of the net Without However, Martinez made a remarkable save with his left boot extended to ensure the match went to penalties.
Source: Clarin
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