Real Madrid's UEFA Super Cup match winner Cristiano Ronaldo, and the FC Bayern München pair of Manuel Neuer and Arjen Robben have been selected by UEFA as finalists for the Best Player in Europe in 2013/14. The three final nominees will be in Monaco on 28th August during the draw for the UEFA Champions League. The winner of the competition will be announced during the gala.

Neuer, Robben, Ronaldo on UEFA Best Player shortlist

The players gained the most points from a second poll of journalists from each of UEFA's 54 member associations, the three having been part of a ten-strong shortlist announced last month that was a product of a first round of voting by the same reporters. The overall winner will be decided by a live vote in Monaco on 28 August during the UEFA Champions League group stage draw.

Yet to receive the accolade since it was given for the first time in 2011, Ronaldo is among the final nominees for the fourth successive year. The Real Madrid forward enjoyed another stellar season last term,breaking the record for most goals in a single UEFA Champions League campaign. His 17th and last strike came from the penalty spot in the final against Club Atlético de Madrid, sealing the Whites' long-awaited tenth European title.

Germany's number one goalkeeper, Neuer, meanwhile, was a key figure for Germany, picking up their fourth World Cup title in Brazil, keeping a clean sheet in four games and pulling off some important saves to guide his side to success. Neuer, who also helped Bayern to the 2013/14 domestic double, was named German footballer of the year for a second time on 10 August. He is the first goalkeeper to make the final three.

Robben was fundamental for the qualification of Holland to the World Cup semifinals with three goals, two of them against then reigning champions Spain (5-1). With Bayern Munich he put in a great season with a total of 21 goals.

In Monaco the journalists will vote live, via an electronic system, for their best player from the shortlist. Positions four to ten are already fixed after every reporter provided a list of their top three players, with the first receiving three points, the second two points and the third one.

The gala for the Champions League draw will be attended by journalists from the 58 UEFA member countries, who will vote again to pick their favourite from the three finalists and select the eventual winner.

The players coming in positions 4 to 10 of the initial vote are as follows:

4 Thomas Müller (GER, FC Bayern München) – number of points, 39
5 Philipp Lahm (GER, FC Bayern München) – 24
5 Lionel Messi (ARG, FC Barcelona) – 24
7 James Rodríguez (COL, AS Monaco FC/Real Madrid CF) – 16
8 Luis Suárez (URU, Liverpool FC/FC Barcelona) – 13
9 Ángel Di María (ARG, Real Madrid CF) – 12
10 Diego Costa (ESP, Club Atlético de Madrid/Chelsea FC) – 8

This season marks the fourth edition of the UEFA Best Player in Europe Award, which was born out of an initiative by UEFA President Michel Platini in partnership with the European Sports Media (ESM) group.

Previous winners
Franck Ribéry (2012/13)
Andrés Iniesta (2011/12) 
Lionel Messi (2010/11)