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THE BEST FIFA FOOTBALL AWARDS 2018

The Best FIFA Football Awards 2018: Modric wins Best Player

Luka Modric won The Best FIFA Men's Player prize ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mo Salah, with Marta taking The Best Women's Player.

Update:
LONDON, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 24: Luka Modric of Real Madrid receives the trophy for The Best FIFA Men's Player 2018 during the The Best FIFA Football Awards Show at Royal Festival Hall on September 24, 2018 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Dan IstiteneGetty Images

Luka Modric has been named The Best FIFA Men's Player 2018, beating off fellow finalists Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah to scoop the accolade at Monday's The Best FIFA Football Awards in London.

See also: Who voted for who?

Modric rewarded for starring role for Real Madrid, Croatia

Having been instrumental in Real Madrid's third straight Champions League title last season, and starred in Croatia's run to the World Cup final, the midfielder had been much fancied to succeed former club-mate Ronaldo - who had claimed the prize in its previous two years - as Best Men's Player.

It is the first time since 2007 - when the Ballon d'Or and the former FIFA World Player of the Year award both went to Kaká - that anyone other than Ronaldo or Lionel Messi has received one of the chief individual gongs in men's world football.

The winner of the Golden Ball at Russia 2018, Modric was also named UEFA's 2017/18 Men's Player of the Year a month ago.

Luka Modric of Real Madrid (left) and Marta of Orlando Pride pose with their Best Player trophies.
Full screen
Luka Modric of Real Madrid (left) and Marta of Orlando Pride pose with their Best Player trophies.Dan IstiteneGetty Images

Marta wins Best Women's Player

France's World Cup-winning boss, Didier Deschamps, was voted Best Men's Coach, while in women's football Brazil legend Marta took the Best Player award, with Lyon's Reynald Pedros chosen as Best Coach.

Belgium's Thibaut Courtois, who joined Real this summer from Chelsea, was declared Best Goalkeeper.

Salah takes Puskas Award, Real dominate World11

Meanwhile, Salah's derby strike against Everton surprisingly saw the Liverpool star clinch the Puskás Award ahead of Ronaldo and Gareth Bale's memorable overhead kicks for Real, a side who dominated the 2018 FIFA FIFPro World11, with five members of last term's team included.

The Best FIFA Football Awards 2018: as it happened

The Best FIFA Football Awards 2018: preview

Luka Modric is heavily fancied to scoop The Best FIFA Men's Player prize as the great and good of the beautiful game come together for the 2018 The Best FIFA Football Awards at London's Royal Festival Hall tonight.

Modric, Ronaldo and Salah the contenders for Best Men's Player

Modric, who in 2017/18 helped Real Madrid to Champions League and Club World Cup success before leading Croatia to the World Cup final, is up for the gong alongside Portugal captain and former club-mate Cristiano Ronaldo - winner of the accolade in its two previous years - and Liverpool and Egypt's Mohamed Salah.

Eight other award categories...

That's not the only gong due to be handed out at the star-studded event in the UK capital, though; indeed, there are eight further categories: Best Goalkeeper, Best Men's Coach, Best Women's Player, Best Women's Coach, the FIFA Puskas Award, the FIFA Fan Award Award, the FIFA Fair Play Award, the FIFA FifPro World11.

Ceremony kicks off at around 20:30 

Hosted by actor Idris Elba and French journalist Anne Laure Bonnet, the ceremony itself kicks off at around 20:30 CEST, with the first guests arriving on the red - sorry, green - carpet around an hour and a half beforehand.