Messi misses out as Salah, Modric, Ronaldo nab FIFA awards nods

There can only be three.

World football’s governing body announced a trio of nominees for The Best FIFA’s Men Player award on Monday, with Cristiano Ronaldo, Mohamed Salah, and Golden Ball winner Luka Modric beating out seven others shortlisted for the annual honor.

Barcelona star Lionel Messi and World Cup-winning Frenchmen Kylian Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann, and Raphael Varane are among those not named as finalists, as are Belgian duo Eden Hazard and Kevin De Bruyne, and England’s Harry Kane. Messi had been a finalist for the award in each of the last 11 years.

FIFA also revealed the three finalists for the Men’s Coach Award, with the third man to win the World Cup as a player and a manager, Didier Deschamps, joined by fellow former Les Bleus standout and last year’s winner Zinedine Zidane and Croatia boss Zlatko Dalic.

The distinction for best goalkeeper also appears to heavily weigh international exploits over those for club, with France’s Hugo Lloris, Belgium’s Thibaut Courtois, and Denmark shot-stopper Kasper Schmeichel nabbing nods.

Nominees for the Women’s Player Award and Women’s Coach Award were also revealed. Brazilian legend Marta, German midfielder Dzsenifer Marozsan, and Norway’s Ada Hegerberg are up for the player’s distinction, while Netherlands’ former winner Sarina Wiegman was named for the coaching honor alongside Lyon gaffer Reynald Pedros and Japan’s Asako Takakura.

The quintet of accolades and the FIFA Puskas Award will be handed out in London on Sept. 24.