Sergio Ramos Backs Luka Modric over Cristiano Ronaldo for Best FIFA Player Award
Real Madrid centre-back Sergio Ramos has backed team-mate Luka Modric to win the 2018 Best FIFA Men's Player award ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Liverpool's Mohamed Salah.
Ronaldo, who moved from Real to Juventus in July, has won the award the last two seasons, but Ramos believes Modric deserves the 2018 gong after helping Real win the UEFA Champions League and leading Croatia to the FIFA World Cup final, per Calciomercato:
"Maybe other players have more marketing or bigger names, Modric deserves to win the award. We will see who wins. He's a great friend and there are few players I feel prouder of to have in my team. He's a huge star. He's one of the few people who [if he wins] I'd be as happy for as if they gave it to me."
TOP NEWS
Madrid Fines Players $590K 😲
'Mbappé Out' Petition Gaining Steam 😳
Star-Studded World Cup Ad 🤩
Ronaldo also played a crucial role in Real's third consecutive European triumph as he top scored for the sixth successive tournament, netting 15 goals in 13 appearances.
He then added four goals at Russia 2018, including a phenomenal hat-trick against Spain, but his Portugal side were knocked out at the last-16 stage.
Salah won no silverware in his debut season with Liverpool in 2017-18.
However, he broke new ground for a 20-team Premier League season as he scored 32 times, and he was also crucial in Liverpool reaching the Champions League final.
There was significant outcry last week when Modric, Ronaldo and Salah were announced as the three finalists as it meant Barcelona's Lionel Messi had been omitted:
It is the first time since 2006 that the Argentinian forward has not been in the running to win FIFA's award.
And, if Modric does win in 2018, it would be the first time since 2007 that the gong has not gone to either Messi or Ronaldo.
