Modric Wins FIFA Best Player Award
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Kylian Mbappe loses three-match suspension appeal PAGE 18 TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 25, 2018 Tiger Woods ends five-year drought to win Tour Championship PAGE 17 ASIAN SNOOKER ACBS 6 REDS CHAMPIONSHIPS Modric wins FIFA best player award The Croatian ends Ronaldo-Messi era to be crowned world’s best; French coach Didier Deschamps named as the best men’s coach AFP LONDON LUKA Modric ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s decade-long domination of football’s individual awards by being crowned FIFA’s best play- er of the year on Monday. The Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder starred for both club and country as Ma- drid won a third straight Cham- pions League, and he inspired Croatia to reach the World Cup final for the first time. He beat Ronaldo and Liv- erpool’s Egyptian forward Mo- hamed Salah to the prize. Modric’s success means Ro- naldo remains tied with Messi having won FIFA’s award in dif- ferent guises five times each. At 33, Croatia’s run to the final was the culmination of a brilliant career for Modric that had often been overshadowed by Ronaldo’s goalscoring in their time together in the Span- ish capital, before the Portu- guese left for Juventus in July. France’s coach Didier Deschamps speaks after winning the trophy Modric scored twice and for the Best FIFA Men’s Coach of 2018 Award during The Best FIFA also netted in penalty shootout Football Awards ceremony in London on Monday. (AFP) wins over Denmark and Russia, but it was his playmaking abil- ity that caught the eye in win- ning the Golden Ball for the best player at the World Cup. It was an unbelievable sea- son, the best season in my life. “I’m still not realising how good a year I had collec- tively, individually, and I’m very proud for everything I achieved this year and it will Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric after winning the trophy for the Best FIFA Men’s Player of 2018 Award at The Best FIFA be remembered forever. Football Awards ceremony in London on Monday. (AFP) “It was an unbelievable sea- Winners Fifpro World 11 son, the best season in my life,” The Best Fifa Men’s Player - Luka Modric Here’s your dream team said Modric. “I’m still not realising how The Best Fifa Women’s Player - Marta David De Gea Liverpool and Egypt forward Mohamed Salah after being presented Dani Alves good a year I had collectively, The Fifa Puskás Award - Mohamed Salah with the trophy for the FIFA Puskas Award for 2018, at The Best FIFA Raphael Varane Football Awards ceremony in London on Monday. (AFP) individually, and I’m very proud Sergio Ramos The Best Fifa Goalkeeper - Thibaut for everything I achieved this Marcelo Courtois year and it will be remembered Luka Modric December. dane, who won a third consecu- forever.” The Best Fifa Men’s Coach - Didier N’Golo Kante Modric was joined by Real tive Champions League title For a sixth straight season, Deschamps Eden Hazard team-mates Sergio Ramos, with Real Madrid before resign- Ronaldo was the Champions Lionel Messi Raphael Varane and Marcelo ing in June. Best Fifa Women’s Coach - Reynald Kylian Mbappe League’s top scorer with 15 Pedros Cristiano Ronaldo in the FIFPro team of the year, Thibaut Courtois won the goals and also scored four times also featuring David De Gea, best goalkeeper award for help- at the World Cup, including The Fifa Fan Award - Peru supporters - Dani Alves, N’Golo Kante, Eden ing Belgium reach the World a hat-trick against Spain in a World Cup help Liverpool lift the trophy Hazard, Kylian Mbappe, Messi Cup semi-finals as well as the thrilling 3-3 draw to open Por- The Fifa Fair Play Award - Lennart Thy and also meant he was far from and Ronaldo. FA Cup with Chelsea before a tugal’s campaign. peak condition as he led Egypt’s France’s World Cup-win- summer move to Madrid. However, Portugal’s last 16 World Cup bid. ning coach Didier Deschamps Brazil’s Marta was crowned exit to Uruguay in Russia and For the first time in 12 years, Despite scoring in each of won the best coach of the year best women’s player for a record Ronaldo’s failure to score in the Messi was not among the final- his two appearances in Russia, prize in recognition for his work sixth time for her role in win- semi-finals or final of the Cham- ists with third place going to he bowed out with the Pharaohs in leading Les Bleus to success ning the Copa America to beat pions League opened the door Salah for his incredible 44-goal bowed at the group stage with in Russia. out Lyon duo Ada Hegerberg for Modric. debut season with Liverpool three defeats. Deschamps, who became and Dzsenifer Marozsan. Neither Ronaldo or Messi that carried the Reds to the Salah did not go away empty just the third man to win the Lyon boss Reynald Pedros attended the glitzy ceremony in Champions League final. handed, however, as he picked World Cup as a player and did win the award for best London with both in action for Orlando Pride and Brazil forward Marta with her trophy for the Best However, a shoulder injury up the Puskas award for best coach, beat off competition women’s coach, though, after Juventus and Barcelona respec- FIFA Women’s Player of 2018 Award at The Best FIFA Football Awards suffered early on in the final goal for his strike against Ever- from Dalic and his former winning the Champions League tively on Wednesday. ceremony in London on Monday. (AFP) robbed Salah of the chance to ton in the Merseyside derby last France team-mate Zinedine Zi- with the French giants. IAAF technical team impressedp with Khalifa stadium facilities Thursday to mark General of the Local Organis- was impressed by the effec- duct their own inspection of ing Committee, said that with tiveness of the stadium cooling competition and training ven- ‘One Year To Go’ little more than one year to system. ues, hotels and logistical plans. for 2019 athletics go to the opening day of the Our airport and hotels are ready, our “I don’t know if the rest of On Thursday, the LOC championships, he was con- stadium is ready, our ticket programme the world really believed this will release details of the tick- worlds in Doha fident that Doha would be and brand will be revealed when we was possible but it’s an amaz- eting programme and launch ready to host the athletes of ing system and it shows that the event logo and brand- IAAF/TNN the world. celebrate ‘One Year to Go’ on Thursday our championships can be con- ing to celebrate ‘One Year to DOHA “Our airport and hotels are (September 27). ducted here in a good environ- Go’ to the 2019 IAAF World ready, our stadium is ready, ment for the athletes,’’ he said. Championships. WITH almost a year to go be- our ticket programme and IAAF Vice-President and Vice-Chairman & “There are always chal- There will be a series of fore Doha hosts the 2019 IAAF brand will be revealed when Director-General of the Local Organising lenges preparing for a major milestones for the Doha organ- World Championships, offi- we celebrate ‘One Year to Go’ Committee Dahlan al Hamad event like this but if the Doha isers over the coming months, cials are busy finalising details on Thursday (September 27),’’ LOC rises to all those chal- including a test of the light- for the prestigious athletics he said. lenges as it has to this one, ing for the marathon course event to be held for the first “All the big pieces are in then our event is in safe hands. along Corniche in October, the time in the Middle East. place. Our task over the next “We have made good World Broadcasters Meeting A large team of IAAF event year is to link all the pieces to- progress in our planning over and Press Agencies Meeting in and technical experts has gether as we prepare to stage the weekend. One of the goals November, The Asian Athlet- spent the last two days con- an innovative and exciting was to forge closer relation- ics Championships next April, ducting an extensive site visit event that will engage athletics ships between key personnel which will serve as a full test with the Doha 2019 Local Or- fans both near and far.” at the LOC and the IAAF be- event for the championships as ganising Committee (LOC), The highlight of the visit cause that united team will they will be held at the Khalifa part of the process of coor- was the demonstration of the form the foundation for a suc- Stadium, and the annual Dia- dination that precedes every world’s-first air-conditioning Athletic track at the world’s first air-conditioned Khalifa International Stadium in Doha which will host cessful championships in just mond League meeting in May. major championships. system that will keep Kha- Middle East’s maiden IAAF World Championships in 2019. over a year’s time.” The 2019 IAAF World IAAF Vice-President Dah- lifa International Stadium at National team leaders Championships will be held lan al Hamad, who is also the a comfortable temperature for As expected the state-of- pressed. off Gardner, who led the fed- from some 30 countries have from September 27 to October Vice-Chairman and Director- athletes, officials and fans.