No Messi on short list for player of the year

Lionel Messi failed to make the world player of the year short list on Monday for the first time since 2006, with Luka Modric and Mohamed Salah making their first appearance in the final three alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Messi and Ronaldo have been the only winners of world soccer’s main individual award from FIFA since 2008. Modric made the short list after helping Real Madrid to a third straight Champions League, while Salah was recognized for his Premier League record 32 goals for Liverpool. The short list of women’s players is headed by five-time winner Marta of Brazil, Ada Hegerberg of Norway and Dzsenifer Marozsan of Germany.