'%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)
The 2018 edition of the FIFA Best awards would take place on Monday, September 21 at the Royal Festival Hall in London.
The main event of the night would be the crowning of the 2018 FIFA Best Men's Player, and it would be a keenly contested award between three players who each had spectacular seasons.
Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Mo Salah are all vying for the award, and while all three men are very much deserving of it, Mo Salah deserves it more than the other two. Here are three reasons why Mo Salah should be named the FIFA Men's Best Player for 2018.
#3 He had a spectacular campaign with Liverpool
Mohammed Sallah was signed from AS Roma at the start of the 2017/2018 season, and not too many felt it was money well spent, as Salah had a previous bad spell in the Premier League with Chelsea.
However, despite the lukewarm response, Salah went on to have one of the most spectacular debut seasons in footballing history. He had a total goal tally of 44 at the end of the season, which is the record for a Liverpool player in his debut season.
He smashed a plethora of personal goal records, including for most number of goals in 38-game Premier League campaign (32), and his performances saw him deservedly named the PFA and PWA Player of the Year, in addition to winning the EPL Golden Boot and 2017 CAF Player of the Year.
He also starred in the Champions League, scoring 10 goals in Europe's premier club competition to send The Reds to her first final appearance in over a decade.
He put in a host of impressive displays en route Liverpool's final run, including in the first half of the 3-0 destruction of Manchester City, and one of the most complete individual performances in a Champions League match when the Kops won his former club AS Roma with Salah scoring two and assisting two.
Indeed, Salah's form last season for Liverpool was so high that he was the main threat of either team heading into the final against Real Madrid, and a lot of people believe the result of the match would have markedly been different had Salah not seen his appearance ended prematurely after dislocating his shoulder following a tackle from Sergio Ramos.
Of the three nominees, Mo Salah had the most spectacular domestic campaign, and this is a factor which should see him named FIFA Best Men's Player.
#2 He also performed on the international scene
Salah was also instrumental for his country at the international stage, as the 26-year-old lived up to his billing as the star of his nation.
He contributed five goals during the CAF World Cup qualification series, two of which came in the last match against Congo in Cairo, including a stoppage time penalty which sealed The Pharaoh's qualification for the World Cup for the first time in 28 years.
After his injury which was sustained in the UCL final with less than three weeks to go until the mundial, and a lot of Egyptians waited with bated breath on positive new about his involvement in the World Cup.
As it happened, their prayers were answered, and Saalah was given the green light to participate at the World Cup, albeit with a catch, as he would miss Egypt's opening clash with Uruguay.
Without Salah, Egypt did not score a goal against Uruguay, failing to significantly trouble Godin and co at the back in a narrow 1-0 loss.
When Salah returned in Egypt's second match, albeit with signs of being unfit, he was still effective enough to score his country's only goal in a 3-1 defeat which confirmed Egypt as the first country to be eliminated from the Wolrd Cup. He also showed great composure to put Egypt ahead with a penalty in the final match against Saudi Arabia in a match which was also lost.
Salah's performances in the colors of Egypt coupled with his starring role in helping Liverpool to fourth place in the league as well as the Champions League final should see him crowned the 2018 FIFA Best Men's Player.
#1 Everybody loves the underdog story
From Leicester's unlikely PL triumph in 2016 to FC Porto defying the odds to lift the Champions League in 2004, the underdog story is one which has resonated throughout history with fans, and one which would continue to do so, as it is a struggle which the average man on the street can relate to.
Mo Salah had far from prestigious beginnings in football, beginning his career in his native Egyptian league during the turbuleant periods at the start of this decade. Indeed, he did not ply his trade for one of the bigger Cairo teams such as Al Ahly or Zamalek, but for lowly El Mokawloon.
A transfer to Basel followed in 2012, and after two successful seasons in Switzerland, where he put in wonderful performances including in four matches against Chelsea, he sealed a transfer to Stamford Bridge where things went downhill for him. He rediscovered his mojo in Italy, but not much was expected from him on his return to England.
Salah has come a long way from his humble beginnings, and with otherworldly talents of Ronaldo and Messi seemingly about to leave the scene, Salah could be the triumphant underdog to usher in a new era of mortals.
