London is hosting the FIFA 'The Best' gala and the football organization have blasted both Lionel Messi and Ronaldo for their absence at the award show, claiming they are discrediting football without even realizing it.
Both the Argentine striker as well as the Portuguese forward confirmed their absence before the gala.
"They discredit football, and they do not even realize it," a representative of FIFA said at the gala.
'The Best' award show recognizes the best players from the 2017/2018 season, yet arguably the two best footballers in the past decade decided to skip the star-studded event.
Meanwhile, players like Luka Modric, Mohamed Salah, Sergio Ramos, David De Gea, Kylian Mbappe, Thibaut Courtois, Raphael Varane and Dani Alves will all be present in addition to coaches such as Zinedine Zidane, Mauricio Pochettino, Zlatko Dalic, Laurent Blanc, Didier Deschamps, Joachim Low, and Fabio Capello.
Legends such as Zvonimir Boban, Michel Salgado, Julio Baptista, Nwankwo Kanu, Rene Higuita, Frederic Kanoute, Ronaldinho, and Ronaldo will also attend the event to stand beside the winners.
Football is played as a team and 'The Best' 2018 gala has been an ode to a team sport after many years of individual tyranny.
Of course, this edition has acknowledged the Champions League more than the World Cup, as all three of the finalists played the final in Kiev while none of them are French world champions.
Leonardo Ghagra
380
Fifa discredited football first by leaving Messi in top three for best player award.
Wepabesz
288
FIFA brought disgrace to football ever since they left Messi out of top three.
DarrelDee
232
If you wan't them to attend then learn not to over rate player$ like modric
Michaeltello
176
Messi should not be blame because he was snub by FIFA he really deserves to be nominated so him not attending ceremony is a good decision
Dannydrexx
156
History has it all two goats
RapNig
91
When you discredit Messi by placing Salah above him then you discredited football.
FappMaester
58
Just saying, for me, the best this year should be challenged between Ronaldo, Messi and Mbappe. Hell I'd even give Mbappe the award. Not Modric. While Ronaldo and Messi are arguably the best players in the world, Mbappe is going the right way too. He has potential and this type of awards would boost his morale. Modric, I love him, a great midfielder with outstanding class, but he does not deserve the award. Griezmann should have won The Best player in the world cup award. As for Courtois, yes that I agree. He is one of the best GK's, De Gea disappointed in this world cup. If Modric won, it's because of corruption in FIFA. If Modric were a player from Barcelona or Liverpool he would have never won. Real Madrid players always win. Tell me another player aside from Messi and Ronaldinho that won any award against a Real Madrid player? If you like Real Madrid or Barcelona, it doesn't matter. You have to agree with me in this aspect. Just THINK