The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) has shortlisted Mohamed Salah, Liverpool star and Egyptian National team right winger, for its Player of the Year award, making Salah the first Egyptian player ever to be nominated.
An announcement on UEFA’s official website declared Salah alongside two other nominees, including the Luka Modrić. The Croatian footballer is a Real Madrid star who snatched the UEFA Champions League award, received the FIFA Golden Ball, and featured strongly in Croatia when it was a FIFA World Cup runner-up.
The third name is Portuguese Cristiano Ronaldo, former icon of Real Madrid and a forward for Italian club Juventus. Ronaldo is a UEFA Champions League winner for a record fifth time, and UEFA Champions League top scorer for the sixth campaign running.
According to UEFA the award winner will be named – along with the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year and UEFA Champions League positional award winners – in a group stage draw in Monaco, scheduled for Thursday August, 30.
UEFA Europa League Player of the Season will be declared the following day.
The rest of the top ten included Antoine Griezmann who came fourth in the voting, Barcelona striker Lionel Messi who ranked fifth with 55 points, and the French Kylian Mbappé in sixth place, with 43 points.
The list also includes Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne, Real Madrid centre-back Raphaël Varane, Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, and in the last spot, Sergio Ramos, the center-back and captain of Real Madrid.
To many, Salah’s nomination comes as no surprise. The Liverpool forward led a sensational season, sweeping almost every major award from the prestigious Golden Boot, to PFA Player of the Year, to BBC’s African Player of the Year (2017). Salah helped lead Liverpool to the Champions League final.
