Luka Modric ends Messi-Ronaldo Monopoly to win The Best FIFA Men's Player Award 2018
Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric has been named the Best Men’s Player at The Best FIFA Football Awards on Monday evening, fighting off competition from fellow nominees Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.
The award caps off an incredible year for Modric, who won his fourth Champions League title with Real Madrid in May, before leading his country to a World Cup final in July and being crowned UEFA Men’s Player of the Year last month.
The Best Men’s Player of the year award, formerly named the Fifa World Player of the Year, has long been dominated by both Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, but Barcelona forward Messi failed to make the shortlist for this years award for the first time since 2006.
Modric’s other accolades from last season include him being awarded the Golden Ball for his performances during the 2017 Club World Cup, whilst the former Spurs man was also included in the Champions League team of the season for a third consecutive year and named the best midfielder in the competition for a second consecutive year.
After receiving the award Modric said: "First of all I would like to give congratulations to Mohamed [Salah] and Cristiano [Ronaldo] for the seasons they have had, and I'm sure that in the future you will have another opportunity to win this trophy.
"This isn't just my trophy – this is for my Real Madrid teammates, my Croatia teammates and my coaches. Without them, this would have not have been possible.
"This trophy is also for my family without whom I would not be the player that I am."
3 finalists for FIFA Best Player award
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Juventus, Portugal)
- Won the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League with Real Madrid
- Finished 2017/18 as the Champion League’s top scorer (15)
- Won FIFA Club World Cup 2017
Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
- Captained Croatia to their first ever FIFA World Cup Final
- Won the Golden Ball at Russia 2018
- Helped Real Madrid win Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)
- Helped Liverpool to UEFA Champions League final in maiden season
- Netted 32 goals during English Premier League campaign, setting new scoring record
- Finished joint-second in 2017/18 Champions League scoring chart
Highlights of the 3 finalists
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Original 10-man shortlist
Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Juventus, Portugal)
Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina)
Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid, France)
Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium)
Eden Hazard (Chelsea, Belgium)
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)
Kylian Mbappe (PSG, France)
Raphael Varane (Real Madrid, France)
Harry Kane (Tottenham, England)
Ronaldo was named The Best FIFA Men's Player in the past two years, with the award having been inaugurated in 2016 after FIFA and France Football decided to no longer work together to produce the FIFA Ballon d'Or prize.
WasimRaz
534
Its not the FIFA Best Award..... Its The FIFA Sympathy Award..........
Madrista_forever
390
I am a madrista but he didn't deserve this it was cr7,let me tell you something I am a Spaniard first iniesta won the world cup and a treble but after all that Messi won the best how is that for u
RishiCR7
329
congratulations....it is not a surprise...the real surprise was salah's puskas😂😂😂
Ayovic
265
FIFA should give Iniesta, Xavi, Sneidejer their own award
Raeaeituyz
256
I still don't get why this fellow Winning these awards when Iniesta couldn't win in 2010
Fearless1
145
FIFA is biased. I think this is the worst nomination so far in the history of football
Jhoxua11
132
Messi : Men for real I left you there alone thinking you would easily omg haha you got to be kidding me Cristiano : Looks I underestimate perez and forgot stay in Madrid and win before moving and I have no protection too since only in Madrid no wonder I had the red card Messi : Haha yeah that one , I just hope you meet Real Madrid to repay your debts . Cristiano: oh men thanks it's like you were in my mind. Messi : Anyway after your debt that's the end forget everything including the champions league and top scorer Cristiano : haha you forgot it's my league Messi :We will see about that. See you later CONGRATULATIONS TO LUKA MODRIC
Messi_Messiah
108
Messi and Ronaldo’s 10 year reign is not over their reign is in the Ballond’or!!!!!!!!!!
EstebanNava907_RMA
106
l still think Messi deserves it more, but considering that he is not even nominated, RONALDO deserved it. I don't quite understand why modric won it. Salah was a better player, and REAL MADRID didn't win the UCL because if modric they won it because of RONALDO. unfair Fifa decision, modric is gonna have a flop if a season, no ucl, no laliga, no Copa del rey. and I hope RONALDO or Messi win it next season.
Nyoms
92
Finally someone breaks the monopoly. Well deserved.
BabaNla_14
88
We Ronaldo fans right now [Cry][Cry][Cry][Cry][Cry]
swissk
84
they are using politics, FIFA men award is no more real why did they denied snidjer the award 2010 after he won Italian seria A and champions league upon that reach 2010 world cup final they give it to messi without any trophy. iniesta scored a vital 1:0 goal against Netherlands and won euro 2012 they never give it to him. Ribery give his best 2013 they denied him the award. what of G.buffon, FIFA best player is politics like Nigeria NFF election not real is scam
U.S.A2117797
65
FIFA sympathy awards should’ve gone to Cristiano Ronaldo FIFA thank you participating award should’ve gone to Mo Salah And FIFA Best To Modric Luka
Yuki016
50
The end of Ronaldo-Messi dominance. The rise of Luka Modric...
olosco50
48
if lukas modric won it just because of WC finnal and UEFA cup then Fifa have to call sneija for his 2010 world best award. paul sneija won UEFA cup, League cup, copa Italian cup and he took Netherland to WC final but the Award was given to messi because of his 64 goals and his performance. now Ronaldo was the top scorer in CL, four goals in WC, attrick against world keeper and against Spain also with best goal ever not goal of season. people just hate him because of his hardworking, mostly Madrid fans dislike him because he left to Juve. Madrid will surely pay the price. congrats to Modric but not deserve to be WB.
Heartoffootball-1234
42
now where are those who said there will be still the messi and ronaldo era its time had came to the end . From now on new generation era is going to begin well done modric and thanks to both legend for dominating 10 years with their footballing skills and talent and entertaining and contributing the footballing world and inspiring the whole world to watch football love football .
Pshalmtom
11
Clearly you are a CR7 fan not a Real Madrid fan then. I watched every game. Ronaldo was atrocious at the start of the season, not just bad, terrible. He picked it up later but bale and modric were the heart of the team in the UCL. Also, modric did way better with his nation than Ronaldo. If you were a real unbiased fan of all of Real Madrid, you would be happy for modric. Ronaldo fans are all the same
this is the real talk from a Barça fan how can you say bale and MODRIC were the heart of Madrid in the ucl when bale was even struggling to start and MODRIC was the list in Madrid midfield in the Ucl go Bring Your stat out and see if Kroos and casemiro didn't do better than MODRIC and the only place I knew MODRIC worked was the World Cup where he was given the golden ball so if he was given the golden ball then why should we talk about all this MODRIC issue I love MODRIC and he's kind of play but the FIFA best is an individual award not team award and for messing not to be included in the top 3 at first already got me pissed because if we talk about individual performance it should be Salah(incerdible scoring form for Liverpool) messi ( total game changer for Barça but wasn't really key at World Cup but that can be said of Salah too) and ronaldo ( didn't pick up at the first half of the season but was great at the champions league and also picked up form not forgetting he was rested in lesser fixtures where he'd have bagged hattricks) this guy's where the best individuals for me and if you talk about midfield then bring out Kroos let's see if he doesn't have more pass accuracy and completion than MODRIC let's be fair