Cata Coll nominated for FIFA 'The Best' award

The Mallorcan goalkeeper Cata Coll, of FC Barcelona and world champion, is one of the three nominees for the ‘Best Goalkeeper’ award of the ‘The Best’ awards. FIFA will present this award on 15 February in London.

The world champion, the player from Pòrtol (Marratxí) Cata Coll is a finalist for FIFA’s ‘The Best’ award along with England’s Mary Earps, from Manchester United and last year’s winner, and Australia’s McKenzie Arnold, from West Ham United. This award recognises the best goalkeeper in the world and will be decided on 15 February in London.

The Balearic goalkeeper had never played for Spain’s senior national team before starting in the last 16 of the World Cup against Switzerland. Her performance has not gone unnoticed. In fact, Pascal Zuberbuhler, a goalkeeping expert with FIFA’s technical study group, called her breakthrough “incredible”. “It’s impressive how he plays. It’s fantastic to see how he plays from the back. She’s fantastic, brilliant: first touch, one-touch (passes), two-touch… she always has options,” he said.

As for the men’s award, the finalists are Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid, Morocco’s Yassine Bounou of Saudi Arabia’s Al Hilal and Brazil’s Ederson of Manchester City.

Cata Coll continues to receive recognition for her game. Among these are the IB Sports Awards 2023, which the Government of the Balearic Islands will present at a gala that will take place on 18 December at the Palau de Congressos in Palma. Along with her, the footballer Mariona Caldentey and the canoeist Joan Toni Moreno, from the Real Club Náutico del Port de Pollença, have been chosen as the best Balearic sportsmen and women.