UEFA have announced their shortlist for the 2004 UEFA European Football Awards. with Real Madrid striker Fenrnado Morientes up against former Porto duo Ricardo Carvalho and Deco.
The trip came face to face in last season’s Champions League final Monaco, containing an on-loan Morientes, went down 3-0 to Porto.
Morientes is pipped as MVP, he is also nominated as best forward alongside Arsenal’s Thierry Henryand Milan’s Andriy Shevchenko.
Deco, now with Barcelona, is also on the shortlist for best midfielder, alongside Patrick Vieira of Arsenal and Chelsea Frank Lampard.
Lampard’s new team-mate, Carvalho, is up for the best defender alongside Jorge Andrade of Deportivo La Coruna and Monaco left-back Patrice Evra.
Porto’s Vitor Baia, is up for best goalkeeper, along with Iker Casillas’s Gianluigi Buffon.
Among the other awards to be presented are the EURO 2004 Player of the Tournament accolade to Greece’s Theodoros Zagorakis and special awards for the winning coaches in the Champions League, UEFA Cup and EURO 2004 – Jose Mourinho, Rafael Benitez and Otto Rehhagel.
Shortlist
The 2004 European Football Awards shortlist in full:
Best Goalkeeper:Vítor Baia (Porto), Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus), Iker Casillas (Real Madrid)
Best Defender: Jorge Andrade (Deportivo La Coruna), Ricardo Carvalho (Porto/Chelsea), Patrice Evra (Monaco)
Best Midfielder: Deco (Porto/ Barcelona), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Patrick Vieira (Arsenal)
Best Forward: Thierry Henry (Arsenal), Fernando Morientes (Monaco/Real Madrid), Andriy Shevchenko (Milan)