The Best FIFA Football Awards 2018: Talking Points

The third edition of The Best FIFA Football Awards since the world football governing body ended its 6-year partnership with France Football’s Ballon d’Or in 2015 was held at the Royal Festival Hall, London, England on Monday 24th September, 2018.

The event which started with a green carpet was hosted by Idris Elba and was graced with the presence of past and present legends of the game such as Kano Nwankwo, Brazil’s Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Didier Drogba, to a mention few alongside other dignitaries, including Nigeria’s billionaire business moguls, Aliko Dangote, Femi Otedola and Cecil Hammond, the CEO of Flytime Group

The highlight of the event was unarguably Modric putting an end to the decade long monotonous run between Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi who both have 5 best player of the year awards to their names. The night saw Croatia and Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric take home the prestigious Best FIFA Men’s player of the year Award, ahead of former Real Madrid teammate, Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool’s Mohammed Salah. This award is coming just months after he clinched the UEFA Men’s player of the year award ahead of Ronaldo and Salah too. These awards come as rewards for Modric’s consistent excellence in the past season, playing a role in Real Madrid’s success of winning a third consecutive Champions League trophy last season and most importantly for putting up a very admirable performance at the 2018 world cup in Russia and guiding the Croatian National team to the world cup finals for the first time which they lost to France in July. The defeat didn’t stop him from being given the golden ball at the end of the tournament.

As usual, the award provided lovers of the beautiful lots of taking points. Lets take a quick look at some.

 

Ronaldo and Messi Snub

Argentine and Barcelona talisman, Lionel Messi who failed to make it the top 3 finalists for the first time since 2008, a decision which caused a serious stir in the world of football, was a no show at the award and so was his perceived arch rival Portugal and Juventus star, Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo’s absence didn’t exactly come as a shock seeing that he had already boycotted UEFA awards earlier. Though, they both gave reasons for missing it, Ronaldo’s reason being that his team has a mid week fixture to prepare for, in his defense, no Juventus player was at the award. While, Messi missed based on personal reasons. They’ve come under heat as their move has been heavy criticized with a FIFA representative saying “They discredit football and they do not even recognize”.  Fabio Capello also gave his thought on their absence while speaking to Mundo Deportivo saying, “It’s a lack of respect that they didn’t come.” He further said, “When the Oscars happen, they(the nominees) are all there. It’s possible they have won too often and they don’t like to lose. But you have to be gracious when you lose, just like when you win”.

While, the absence of the both players may not go down well with most persons, but it doesn’t change the fact that they have and are still keeping us very entertained with their exciting rivalry in the last 10 years and are both phenomenal players and the two greatest footballers of recent times.

 

Who Voted Who?

The award was decided by national team coaches and captains, select members of the media and online voting. The mode of voting is certainly one to cause a divide between coaches and their captains as that was clearly the case of the Captain of Nigeria’s Super Eagles, John Mikel Obi and Coach Gernot Rohr as they disagreed on whether Croatian Luka Modric should be crowned as Best FIFA Player of the year

According to details of the voting done by national captains, coaches and media men, Modric was Rohr’s first choice, but Mikel Obi chose Lionel Messi as first choice, and French player Kylian Mbappe as the second. Modric was Obi’s third’s choice. Rohr also picked Mbappe as second choice and Belgium and Chelsea player Eden Hazard as his third choice.

The Nigeria media man, Christian Okpara who voted, picked Ronaldo, Eden and Modric as first, second and third choices.

The detail of Lionel Messi’s vote is actually the most interesting as it indicates that he voted Cristiano Ronaldo for the time since 2011 when he was named the captain of the Argentine national team . He however, placed him in third place behind Luka Modric and French youngster Kylian Mbappe. Ronaldo on the other hand, opted for former Real Madrid team mates, Rapheal Varane and Luka Modric alongside Atletico forward, Antoine Griezmann. Modric the evntual winner and Croatia’s captain voted Madrid team mate, Rapheal Varane, Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann.

 

FIFA FifPRO World XI

The list for the FIFA best 11 also drew some attention as neither Thibaut Courtois(Belguim/Real Madrid) who won the award for best goal keeper or the other two finalist, Hugo Lloris(France/Tottenham) and Kasper Schmeichel (Denmark/Leicester City) was picked as the first choice keeper. The position was rather given to Manchester United’s keeper, David De Gea who aside a poor world cup outing for Spain had a great season at united, leaving people wondering, who is actually the best goalie, De Gea or Courtois? Mohammed Salah also didn’t make the list and nobody seems to understand how Dani Alves got on the list.

With Ronaldo and Messi making the list, it means they did get awards after all.

The Dream Team

Goal Keeper

David De Gea

Defenders

Dani Alves

Raphael Varane

Sergio Ramos

Marcelo

Midfielders

Luka Modric

N’Golo Kante

Eden Hazard

Forwards

Lionel Messi

Kylian Mbappe

Cristiano Ronaldo

 

The Best Fifa Women’s Player – Marta