Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Mo Salah have been named as the three players set to battle it out for the crown of FIFA Best Men's Player of the Year 2018.

Ronaldo, who won a third consecutive Champions League title with Real Madrid in 2018, is favourite to win the award for the third consecutive year. Luka Modric – who also won the Champions League – is nominated after a wonderful World Cup campaign with Croatia, while Mo Salah features after a record-breaking year with Liverpool.

The most obvious absentee from the list is Leo Messi, who misses out on a place on the podium for the first time since 2006.

https://twitter.com/FIFAcom/status/1036595146962464768

In other categories, Zlatko Dalic (Croatia), Didier Deschamps (France) and Zinedine Zidane (Real Madrid) are nominated for The Best Men's Coach of the year award.

The FIFA Best Women's Player award is certain to change hands, with Lyon duo Ada Hegerberg and Dzsenifer Maroszan both nominated alongside Brazil’s triumphant Copa America Feminina captain Marta.

The winners will be announced on September 24th in London.