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LONDON. – After Luka Modric was confirmed as FIFA Player of the Year, the votes of top stars including Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have been revealed.

The award was decided by a collection of votes, coming from the captains of each international team, their managers, and designated media officials from each country.

Modric took the top honour with 29.05 per cent of the vote, with Ronaldo receiving 19.08 per cent and Salah 11.23 per cent.

Each voting individual had to make three selections: a first-placed player who would receive five points, a second-placed player to receive three points and a third-placed player to receive one point.

Following the ceremony, FIFA revealed the breakdown of the vote, with some interesting surprises among the selections. Despite not making the final three, Messi voted his rival Ronaldo in third place, with Kylian Mbappe in second place and Modric in first.

Ronaldo, however, opted not to vote for Messi at all, placing his former Real Madrid team-mate Raphael Varane in first, with Modric second and Antoine Griezmann as third.

Spain captain Sergio Ramos picked Modric, Ronaldo and Messi as his order.

Harry Kane was given a vote from Gary White, the coach of Chinese Taipei as well as Dion Godet, the coach of the Bahamas — but was not placed first by any of his fellow players.

Kane himself cast a vote as captain of England, choosing Ronaldo in first, with Messi and Kevin De Bruyne as second and third.

Meanwhile, Modric ended Ronaldo and Messi’s decade-long domination of football’s individual awards by being crowned FIFA’s best player of the year on Monday night.

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.

He beat Ronaldo and Liverpool’s Egyptian forward Salah to the prize.

Modric’s success means Ronaldo remains tied 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 goalscoring 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 realising 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. – AFP.