The Fifa Fifpro World XI (minus Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi) pose with their trophies CREDIT: BEN STANSALL/GETTY IMAGES
Luka Modric was named Best Fifa Footballer of the Year in a London
ceremony noted as much for the the players in absentia as the awards.
The Croatian beat Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo to become the
first player other than Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to win since Kaka in
2007.
The award was decided by national team coaches and captains, select
members of the media and online voting. Modric acknowledged both his
club and national team achievements, which included winning the Golden
Ball at the World Cup, as the deciding factors in claiming the award.
Luka
Modric poses with his Best Fifa Men’s Player Award alongside Marta with
her Best Fifa Women’s Player Award CREDIT: TIM GOODE/PA WIRE
The award winners in full
It wasn’t all about Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for once – though both players did make the FifPro XI.
Here’s all the award winners:
Best Men’s: Luka Modric
Best Women’s: Marta
Puskas Award: Mohamed Salah
Best Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
Best Men’s Coach: Didier Deschamps
Best Women’s Coach: Reynald Pedros
Fair Play: Lennart Thy
Fan Award: Peru fans