Best Player 2015: MVP nominees are official

Bruno Xavier (BRA), Madjer (POR) and Taiarui (TAH) made the final cut and one will be selected Best Player of the Year 2015

The reigning champion, Bruno Xavier, is the only familiar face from the inaugural set of Best Players 2014 at the first Beach Soccer Stars event. The Brazilian is honoured for the opportunity again but he will be facing just as stiff competition this year with the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Portugal 2015 champion Madjer (POR), and the runner-up, Tahiti, has their own star Taiarui jostling for the title. Madjer finished the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2015 as champion while Taiarui finished just short, taking his underdog side all the way to the final in Portugal but also claiming the adidas Golden Ball, awarded to the best player of the tournament. Bruno Xavier helped his team finish in 5^th Place in the World Cup.

All of these candidates have very distinct and different styles, but that does not mean that one is definitively better than the other. Madjer is known for his leadership and lethal left-foot. He has the ability to score from anywhere on the sand and not just from direct kicks. Bruno Xavier was splendid in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2015 – CONMEBOL Qualifiers – Ecuador and he continued his strong play, beautiful creativity and ball-handling skills into the World Cup and top-5 finish for Brazil. Taiarui is the all-around top talent for a loaded Tahiti team, and although he is listed a defensemen, he is able to pass and grind-out goals like almost no one else can.

Madjer and Taiarui will be playing in the Samsung Beach Soccer Intercontinental Cup from the 3^rd to the 7^th of November, but everything will shift from the pitch to the Beach Soccer Stars gala on the night of the 7^th, when the ceremony will take place and the winner will be announced. Another special note about the award is that it is solely based on the votes of the players and coaches from around the world. Having the opponents and enemies on the sand recognize the special talents that these players have is a very big deal. The peer vote will not be revealed to the players, coaches, or anyone before the speaker announces the winner. Stay tuned to beachsoccer.com for coverage of the entire event, including live streaming of all the festivities.