De Bruyne, Kante and Jorginho up for UEFA Player of the Year

Manchester City’s Kevin de Bruyne and Chelsea pair N’Golo Kante and Jorginho are in the running for UEFA’s 2020-21 male player of the year award after topping an all-midfield shortlist published on Thursday.

All featured in Euro 2020 – De Bruyne for Belgium, Kante with France and Jorginho with winners Italy – and the shortlist is the first in the 11-year existence of the award to feature only midfielders.

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UEFA did not reveal the number of votes cast for the three.

Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, the six times Ballon d’Or winner who has moved from Barcelona to Paris St Germain, was fourth on the list.