Luka Modrić and Zlatko Dalić are the finalists for FIFA’s ‘The Best’ awards.
Luka Modrić has entered the final selection of FIFA’s ‘The Best’ awards. The Croatian captain has officially been nominated for the best player in the world, which was won by Cristiano Ronaldo last year. The best footballers in the world were considered for their results achieved from July 3, 2017, to July 15 this year, reports Goal.hr on September 3, 2018.
The top three finalists are Modrić, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Mo Salah. Surprisingly, there is no world champion, notably Antoine Griezmann, the World Cup winner with France and the Europa League winner with Atletico Madrid. There is also no Lionel Messi for the first time since 2006!
Modrić won the Champions League with Real Madrid and led Croatia to the World Cup finals, where he was also named the Golden Ball winner. Last year, Luka Modrić took sixth place in the competition with 3.33 percent of the vote.
The best in the world will be chosen by selected media representatives (one from each FIFA member state), as well as the coaches, team captains and fans (each with 25% stake in the decision). The winner will be announced on September 24 in London.
Just four days ago, Luka Modrić was declared the UEFA ‘Player of the Year’ and ‘Best Midfielder’ of the 2017/18 season. He celebrated with the same competition he faces in the FIFA awards, meaning there is a good chance Luka can raise the trophy again in front of Ronaldo and Salah.
But that’s not all.
Croatia coach Zlatko Dalić has also been selected among the top 3 for FIFA’s best coach, in the running against Didier Deschamps and Zinedine Zidane.
The Croatia coach has thus received another truly great acknowledgment, and the nomination itself means that FIFA has included Dalić among the three best coaches in the world.
Dalić’s competition is Didier Deschamps, the French coach who won the World Cup in Russia, and another legendary Frenchman, Zinedine Zidane, who won his third consecutive Champions League title with Real Madrid this spring.
The scoring principle for the best coach is the same as for the men’s footballer award.
Finalists of FIFA’s ‘The Best’ awards:
Best Male Player: Luka Modrić (Croatia/Real Madrid), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal/Real Madrid), Mohamed Salah (Egypt/Liverpool)
Best Men’s Coach: Zlatko Dalić (Croatia), Didier Deschamps (France), Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid)
Best Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois (Belgium/Chelsea), Hugo Lloris (France/Tottenham Hotspur), Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark/Leicester City)
Best Female Player: Ada Hegerberg (Norway/Lyon), Dzsenifer Marozsan (Germany/Lyon), Marta (Brazil/Orlando Pride)
Best Women’s Coach: Reynald Pedros (Lyon), Asako Takakura (Japan), Sarina Wiegman (Netherlands)
Best Supporters: Sebastian Carrera (CD Puerto Montt), fans of Japan and Senegal, fans of Peru
Puskas for the most beautiful goal: Gareth Bale (Real Madrid), Denis Čerišev (Russia), Lazaros Christodoulopoulos (AEK), Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid), Giorgian de Arrascaeta (Cruzeiro), Riley McGree (Newcastle Jets), Lionel Messi ), Benjamin Pavard (France), Ricardo Quaresma (Portugal), Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
