'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
As it was announced, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric, and Mohamed Salah were nominated for the 'Fifa Men's Player of the Year' award, but one can still see a few other candidates could arguably be in the top three list. These players would have narrowly missed the top three nomination list.
Mohamed Salah was excellent last season after scoring 32 goals in 36 appearances and bagging 10 assists for Liverpool.
Cristiano is a once-in-a-lifetime type player, who craves UCL goals, and always brings out the best out of himself in the most important situations.
Luka Modric is a figure who nobody can hate; his world cup game-play has made everyone fall in love with his style of play, and also he ended up winning the World Cup 'Golden Ball' previously this year.
However, here are the players who deserve as much recognition, if not more.
#1 Antoine Griezmann
The Frenchman, Antoine Griezmann played about 67 games last season. In his 67 appearances, Griezmann scored 37 times and managed to bag 20 assists for his team.
Griezmann also won the 2nd biggest UEFA European title, which is the Europa League and even managed to win the most prestigious football trophy, the World Cup 2018.
Apart from these two trophies, he also managed to win the UEFA Super Cup for his team and managed to finish three points ahead of Real Madrid last season.
If these trophies and a truck-load of goals and assists cannot win you a place in the top three nominees for the best player in the world, I don't know what can.
#2 Lionel Messi
This is not even an argument; Lionel Messi cannot lose out a spot in the top three due to Barcelona's failure of conquering Europe. Without a shadow of a doubt, Messi should have been nominated for the award.
Messi had 64 appearances last season, and he managed to score 52 times for Barcelona and assisted 21 times. Messi had the most goals in Europe, most chances created in Europe, most dribbles in Europe, and the most number of Man of the Match awards in Europe.
Apart from the stats, he won two trophies, LaLiga and Copa Del Rey. Barcelona won the league being 14 points ahead of the second positioned Atletico Madrid.
#3 Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe became the youngest player since Pele himself, to score in a World Cup final with a second-half goal in the 4-2 win over Croatia in the World Cup Final. Pele had held on to the record since 1958.
Kylian Mbappe had 64 appearances last season in which he found the net 29 times, and managed to help his teammates 20 times via assisting.
Apart from the stats, Kylian Mbappe won four trophies which were Ligue 1, Coupe de France, Coupe de la Ligue, and the World Cup.
He is yet another contender who should have got a cut in the route to becoming the best player of the year.
No doubt Cristiano, Luka, and Salah were excellent last season, but they have no trophies to their names to match the World Cup. Salah didn't win even a single cup and still managed to get on the list, the reason for which is beyond people's imagination.
