The South American Football Confederation (CONMEBOL) announced this Tuesday (30) the six nominees for the award for best player in Libertadores. Five defend Brazilian teams, two from Palmeiras, two from Flamengo and one from Athletico-PR. The winner will be announced on the day of the final, on October 29, at the Monumental Stadium in Guayaquil (Ecuador).
⭐️ Towards the #BestOfTheTournament! CONMEBOL star candidates #Liberators 2022 are in the semifinals.
? Who will take the prize?@BridgestoneBR #GloriaEterna pic.twitter.com/9ENRh2OGpS
— CONMEBOL Libertadores (@LibertadoresBR) August 29, 2022
Current two-time champion, Verdão is represented by Raphael Veiga and Rony. The midfielder scored six times in this edition of the Libertadores, in eight games, while the striker scored seven goals and provided an assist. Both were part of the winning campaigns in 2020 and 2021 and became the club’s two top scorers in the history of the tournament (Rony leads with 16 goals, two more than Veiga).
Flamengo, runner-up in 2021, had selected Pedro and Giorgian de Arrascaeta. The striker is Libertadores’ top scorer, with eight goals, five of which were scored in the knockout stage and four only in the duel with Tolima (Colombia), for the round of 16. The midfielder has two goals and three assists and is the main point guard of Rubro-Negro, which reached the semifinals with the best overall campaign. The Uruguayan was part of the champion group of America by the Rio de Janeiro team in 2019.
Striker Vitor Roque, in turn, represents Athletico. Even without being an absolute starter and present in only four Libertadores games, the 17-year-old was decisive for the classification of Hurricane to the semifinals, scoring the goal of the 1-0 victory over Estudiantes (Argentina), away from home, in quarterfinal return game.
The only nominee for the award who does not defend a Brazilian team is Lucas Janson, from Vélez Sarsfield (Argentina). The striker shares with Rony (and Rafael Navarro also from Palmeiras) the Libertadores vice-artillery, with seven goals. Six of them left in the last six games, which marked the team’s start in the competition, still in the final stretch of the group stage.
The winner in 2021 was forward Gabriel Barbosa, from Flamengo. At the time, he overcame competition from Veiga, Rony and goalkeeper Weverton, the three of the champions Palmeiras, in addition to Arrascaeta and fellow striker Bruno Henrique, teammates. In the 2020 edition, the winner was another Brazilian: striker Marinho, at the time at Santos and today at Rubro-Negro in Rio.
