Lionel Messi excluded as FIFA releases 3-man shortlist for best players

                      

Football star Lionel Messi has been excluded from the final shortlist of the FIFA’s Player of the Year Award.

Cristiano Ronaldo, Luka Modric and Mo Salah are the three finalists, according to Spanish outlet Diario Sport.

They top a shortlist of 10, which did include Messi, along with De Bruyne, Varane, Salah, Hazard, Kane and Mbappe. The official shortlist will be announced by FIFA on Monday.

Last Thursday, at the Champions League draw, Modric was named as the best player in Europe for last season. Real Madrid also scooped the positional prizes at the event: Keylor Navas (goalkeeper), Sergio Ramos (defender), Modric (midfielder) and Ronaldo (forward), now at Juventus but chosen for his performances with Los Blancos.