LONDON: Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, and Mohamed Salah have been nominated as finalists for The Best FIFA Men’s Player Award, world soccer’s governing body announced on Monday.
Ronaldo, who has won the award for the last two years, helped Real Madrid claim a third consecutive Champions League crown before securing a transfer to Juventus.
Midfielder Modric, also part of Madrid’s Champions League triumph, finished runner-up with Croatia at the World Cup, winning the best player award at the tournament in Russia.
Egyptian forward Salah scored 44 goals for Liverpool last season, helping the English club reach the Champions League final where they were beaten by Real.
France’s World Cup winning captain Hugo Lloris is in contention for the goalkeeper of the year award, alongside Golden Glove winner Thibaut Courtois and Danish shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel.
Former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane, France coach Didier Deschamps and Croatia’s Zlatko Dalic were on the shortlist for coach of the year award.
The women’s player of the year award will be contested between Olympique Lyonnais duo Ada Hegerberg and Dzsenifer Marozsan, who enjoyed an unbeaten league season and lifted the Women’s Champions League, and Brazil’s triumphant Copa America Femenina captain Marta.
The awards ceremony will take place in London on September 24.
