Not Ronaldo, not Messi, it’s Luka Modrić who has become the UEFA Player of the Year.
Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modrić received 90 points more than second-placed Cristiano Ronaldo to win the 2017-18 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award.
Breaking the monotony, he became first player other than Messi and Ronaldo to win the award in 5-years. The award had gone to either Ronaldo or Barcelona’s Lionel Messi every season since Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribéry won in the 2012-13 season.
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Interestingly, Messi has been ranked fifth with 55 points.
1 Luka Modrić (Real Madrid & Croatia) – 313 points
2 Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus/Real Madrid & Portugal) – 223 points
3 Mohamed Salah (Liverpool & Egypt) – 134 points
4 Antoine Griezmann (Atlético & France) – 72 points
5 Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina) – 55 points
6 Kylian Mbappé (Paris & France) – 43 points
7 Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City & Belgium) – 28 points
8 Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid & France) – 23 points
9 Eden Hazard (Chelsea & Belgium) – 15 points
10 Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid & Spain) – 12 points
Why did Modrić win the vote?
Modrić’s understated class was more evident than ever last season, the diminutive midfielder helping Madrid to a third straight UEFA Champions League title before then guiding his country to their first FIFA World Cup final. Though the 32-year-old is neither a prolific goalscorer nor an outright defensive shield, his dynamism and quality in possession set him apart.