Modric crowned world’s best

Marta named Women’s Best Player for record 6th time

LONDON, Sept 25, (AFP): Luka Modric ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s decade-long domination of football’s individual awards by being crowned FIFA’s Best Player of the Year.

The Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder starred for both club and country as Madrid won a third straight Champions League, and he inspired Croatia to reach the World Cup final for the first time.

“The emotion is huge because it is thanks to the work of everyone. So many people have come together and so many have supported me,” said Modric.

Modric beat out Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Mohamed with Messi having won FIFA’s award in different 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 goal-scoring in their time together in the Spanish capital, before the Portuguese left for Juventus in July.

Modric scored twice and also netted in penalty shootout wins over Denmark and Russia, but it was his playmaking ability that caught the eye in winning the Golden Ball for the best player at the World Cup.

“It was an unbelievable season, the best season in my life,” said Modric.

“I’m still not realizing how good a year I had collectively, individually, and I’m very proud for everything I achieved this year and it will be remembered forever.” For a sixth straight season, Ronaldo was the Champions League’s top scorer with 15 goals and also scored four times at the World Cup, including a hat-trick against Spain in a thrilling 3-3 draw to open Portugal’s campaign.

However, Portugal’s last 16 exit to Uruguay in Russia and Ronaldo’s failure to score in the

France coach Didier Deschamps (center), winner of the Best FIFA Men’s Coach of 2018 Award, is flanked by Orlando Pride and Brazil forward Marta (right), and Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric (left), winners of the Best FIFA Women’s and Men’s Player of 2018 Award, as they pose for a photograph with their trophies during The Best FIFA Football Awards

ceremony on Sept 24 in London. (AFP)

semifinals or final of the Champions League opened the door for Modric.

For the first time in 12 years, Messi was not among the finalists with Salah earning a place on the podium for his incredible 44-goal debut season with Liverpool that carried the Reds to the Champions League final.

Salah did not go away emptyhanded, however, as he picked up the Puskas Award for Best Goal for his strike against Everton in the Merseyside derby last December.

Modric was joined by Real teammates Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane and Marcelo in the FIFPro Team of the Year, also featuring David De Gea, Dani Alves, N’Golo Kante, Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe, Messi and Ronaldo.

“I am as happy as if I had won it,” said Ramos of Modric’s success. “He deserves it, he is an excellent player and has marked an important era in the history of Real Madrid.” France’s World Cup-winning coach Didier Deschamps won the best coach of the year prize in recognition for his work in leading Les Bleus to success in Russia.

Deschamps, who became just the third man to win the World Cup as a player and coach, beat off competition from Dalic and his former France teammate Zinedine Zidane, who won a third consecutive Champions League title with Real Madrid before resigning in June.

Thibaut Courtois won the Best Goalkeeper award for helping Belgium reach the World Cup semifinals as well as the FA Cup with Chelsea before a summer move to Madrid.

Brazil’s Marta was crowned Best Women’s Player for a record sixth time for her role in winning the Copa America to beat out Lyon duo Ada Hegerberg and Dzsenifer Marozsan.

Lyon boss Reynald Pedros did win the award for Best Women’s Coach, though, after winning the Champions League with the French giants.

MILAN, Sept 25, (AFP): Cristiano Ronaldo turns his focus back to Juventus’s quest for a treble this season on Wednesday after losing out in the FIFA’s best player of the year award.

Five-time Ballon d’Or winner Ronaldo skipped the awards ceremony in London on Monday as his former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric beat him for the award.

The 33-year-old Portuguese star also lost out to Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah for the Puskas Award for the best goal.

He had been nominated for his superb overhead bicycle kick for Real Madrid against Juventus in last season’s Champions League quarter-final, which even drew a standing ovation from Juventus supporters in Turin.

Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri had backed Ronaldo – who has scored three goals in his last two league games – for the award, as he led the way in the Champions League with 15 goals to help Real to a third straight title.

“With no offence to Luka Modric, I’d give the Ballon d’Or to Ronaldo for what he did last season. I think he deserves it,” said Allegri.

The Italian champions face a heavy week in Turin with three games in their Allianz Stadium in the space of seven days.

After Wednesday’s game against 18th-placed Bologna, who shocked Roma 2-0 at the weekend, Juventus play Carlo Ancelotti’s Napoli in a top-of-the table clash on Saturday.

Juventus have had a perfect start to the season with five wins and 15 points – three points ahead of Napoli.

Allegri’s side also play Swiss club Young Boys in the Champions League a week on Tuesday, a game which Ronaldo will miss after his controversial sending off against Valencia in Spain.

Napoli host promoted Parma, before their trip to Turin, with an eye on their Champions League game against Liverpool in Naples.

“We won there (Juventus) last season and still finished second,” said Napoli striker Lorenzo Insigne.

“If we don’t win the midweek game with Parma, then the result with Juve is irrelevant, so we have to take it one at a time.” Under-pressure Roma host promoted Frosinone looking for a boost after slipping to 14th with their weekend defeat in Bologna.

Coach Eusebio Di Francesco has reportedly been given a week to save his job, starting against the newcomers from outside Rome, before the city derby against Lazio at the weekend.

Frosinone are second from the bottom of the table with 12 goals conceded, including two to Juventus last weekend.

“At the end of the year when the points are counted the matches like the one in Frosinone you don’t remember immediately, but you know how important they were,” said Allegri.

Roma then host Czech club Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League next week, having lost their opener to holders Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, Italy striker Giuseppe Rossi is facing a doping ban after testing positive for the banned substance dorzolamide, media reports said Tuesday.

Rossi, who has played 30 times for the Azzurri in a career blighted by knee injuries, tested positive following an Italian league match between his team at the time, Genoa, and Benevento on May 12.

Dorzolamide is commonly found in eye drops. Its use is permitted if the athlete obtains a therapeutic use exemption, although if not applied to the eyes, it could be used as a diuretic.

The 31-year-old Rossi, formerly of Manchester United and Fiorentina but currently without a club, has denied using eye drops, according to the Gazzetta dello Sport daily.

Eyedrops containing “dorzolamide

Udinese vs Lazio beIN SPORTS

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Juventus vs Bologna beIN SPORTS

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Napoli vs Parma beIN SPORTS 5HD

Juventus’ Portuguese forward Cristiano Ronaldo (right) vies with Frosinone Polish defender Bartosz Salamon (left) during the Italian Serie A football match between Frosinone and Juventus Turin on Sept 23 at the Benito-Stirpe

Stadium in Frosinone. (AFP)