Messi, who finally lifted the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last month, scored seven goals including a goal in every knockout round of the competition.

Messi is joined on the shortlist by team mate Julián Álvarez who scored four goals including two in the semi-final victory over Croatia.

Golden Boot winner Kylian Mbappe of France, who scored eight goals including a hat-trick in an epic final, has also earned a nomination.

Achraf Hakimi, an integral part of Morocco’s unprecedented run to the semi-final, is also included.

The award was won in 2022 by Poland's Robert Lewandowski who is again on the ballot sheet.

Nominees for FIFA's The Best women’s player of the year include England’s Beth Mead.

At Euro 2022 Mead won the golden boot with six goals and was named player of the tournament as England lifted the trophy for the first time.

Leah Williamson and Keira Walsh complete a trio of English nominations.

The list also includes Norway’s Ada Hegerberg, winner of the inaugural Women’s Ballon D’Or.

She scored six goals as her club Olympique Lyonnais won the UEFA Champions League in 2022 and was named in the UEFA squad of the tournament.

Ballon D'Or winner Alexia Putellas, who scored 11 Champions League goals for Barcelona, is also shortlisted. 

Putellas won the best player award for 2022.

There is also a place on the list for Debinha who scored the winning goal as Brazil beat host nation Colombia to win the Copa Femenina.

Awards are also made to the best coaches of the year.

In the women’s category a list of six includes Sarina Wiegman, the successful coach of the England team.

Former Sweden star Pia Sundhage, who coached Brazil’s women to victory in the Copa America Femenina, is also nominated for an award she won previously in 2012.

The men’s list features the veteran Carlo Ancelotti, who guided Real Madrid to another UEFA Champions League title, a record fourth for him as a coach.

Argentina’s World Cup winning coach Lionel Scaloni is also included along with Didier Deschamps, coach of the beaten finalists France.

The Ferenc Puskas award for the best goal includes a long range effort by Amandine Henry in the UEFA Women’s Champions League final for Olympique Lyonnais.

Richarlison’s spectacular overhead kick for Brazil against Croatia, already selected as goal of the World Cup, and Mbappe’s stunning effort for France in the final were also chosen by FIFA's panel of experts.

Surprisingly there is no place for the magnificent Argentinian team goal finished by Angel Di Maria in the final.

Voting is also invited for the goalkeeper of the year and Argentina’s penalty shoot-out hero Emiliano Martínez.

There is also a category for best fan which includes Saudi Arabia supporter Abdullah Al Salmi, who hiked across the desert by foot to the World Cup and the Japanese fans who helped clean up the stadium after each match.

The public poll is on FIFA+ and closes at midnight on February 3.

FIFA expect to announce the shortlist in each category later in the month.