UEFA Champions League positional awards shortlists

Real Madrid dominate the positional awards for the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League season, providing six of the 12 shortlisted players.

Shortlisted players (in alphabetical order):
• Goalkeeper of the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League season contenders: Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Manuel Neuer (Bayern München), Jan Oblak (Atlético Madrid).

• Defender of the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League season contenders: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus, now AC Milan), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid).

• Midfielder of the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League season contenders: Casemiro (Real Madrid), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid), Luka Modrić (Real Madrid).

• Forward of the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League season contenders: Paulo Dybala (Juventus), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid).

• UEFA Champions League players' awards in numbers

The accolades were introduced to recognise the top goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward in Europe's premier club competition each season. They will be presented alongside the annual UEFA Men's Player of the Year and UEFA Women's Player of the Year awards during the UEFA Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on 24 August.

Last term Madrid became the first team in the UEFA Champions League era to retain the European Cup when they defeated Juventus 4-1 in the final. Two of the Whites' goalscorers in Cardiff that day, Casemiro and Cristiano Ronaldo, are among the shortlisted players.

How the players were shortlisted
The jury was composed of the coaches of the 32 clubs in the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League group stage, together with 55 journalists selected by the European Sports Media (ESM) group, representing each of UEFA's member associations. The coaches were not allowed to vote for players from their own teams.

Jury members selected their top three players per position, with the first receiving five points, the second three and the third one. The three players who received the most points in each category made up the final shortlist.

These awards complement the UEFA Men's and Women's Player of the Year prizes, the finalists for which will be announced on 15 August.

Player rankings (4 to 10)

Goalkeepers
4 Keylor Navas (Real Madrid) – 67 points
5 Kasper Schmeichel (Leicester City) – 16 points
6 Marc-André ter Stegen (Barcelona) – 7 points
7 Danijel Subašić (Monaco) – 6 points
8 Anthony Lopes (Lyon) – 5 points
9 Roman Bürki (Dortmund), Iker Casillas (Porto), Ederson (Benfica, now Man. City), Hugo Lloris (Tottenham), Pepe Reina (Napoli) – 1 point

Defenders
4 Giorgio Chiellini (Juventus) – 71 points
5 Dani Alves (Juventus, now Paris) – 50 points
6 Diego Godín (Atlético) – 16 points
7 Philipp Lahm (Bayern) – 14 points
8 Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid) – 13 points
9 Gerard Piqué (Barcelona) – 12 points
10 Benjamin Mendy (Monaco, now Man. City) – 9 points

Midfielders
4 Miralem Pjanić (Juventus) – 33 points
5 Thiago Alcântara (Bayern) – 25 points
6 Bernardo Silva (Monaco, now Man. City) – 21 points
7 Andrés Iniesta (Barcelona) – 15 points
8 Fabinho (Monaco) – 12 points
9 Isco (Real Madrid), Arturo Vidal (Bayern) – 10 points

Forwards
4 Kylian Mbappé (Monaco) – 58 points
5 Robert Lewandowski (Bayern) – 24 points
6 Neymar (Barcelona, now Paris) – 21 points
7 Antoine Griezmann (Atlético) – 14 points
8 Gonzalo Higuaín (Juventus) – 8 points
9 Edinson Cavani (Paris) – 6 points
10 Mario Mandžukić (Juventus) – 5 points