Real Madrid’s Luka Modric was awarded the UEFA player of the year prize on Thursday, much to the surprise to many. While the other two candidates in Cristiano Ronaldo and Muhammad Salah were strong contenders to win it too, and many Ronaldo fans still feel bitter about it, there is one guy who has completely, and unfairly, cancelled out of the equation. Also read: Messi eyes another record as Barcelona draw Tottenham Not saying that Modric did not deserve it, but Messi deserved it more and here are 4 reasons why. Stats don’t lie Just like hips, stats don’t lie too. Messi scored a total of 45 goals this season, had 18 assists and won a domestic double. He was also instrumental in his team’s dominating Spanish league win, in which Barcelona lost a handful of just 1 fixture. In comparison, Cristiano scored less, assisted less, and won just 1 trophy. And if we are talking about the World Cup 2018, both went home in the very same round. Same is the case with Modric. Barcelona’s main man Messi has always been Barcelona main man. The most important person in the city. Last season, there was no Xavi and Andres Iniesta was not very consistent too. In such circumstances, Messi took charge of his club and won them a league and a cup. If that does not win a Balon d’Or, nothing will. All in one Messi was all in alone last season. He was scoring, assisting, passing, defending, playing as a striker, as a winger, as an attacking midfielder, central midfielder and even a defender. In simpler words, he was Barca’s most complete player. Because he is the best player Simply because Messi is the best. It needs no justification or factual explanation. What Lionel Messi does, no one else can, and therefore, he deserved the UEFA POTY more than the rest of the footballers.<doc-sep>Barcelona forward Lionel Messi missed out on top 3 of the UEFA player of the year award list despite having stats in his favour. UEFA announced its three-man list for the UEFA award which included Juventus’ Cristiano Ronaldo, Liverpool’s Muhammad Salah and Real Madrid’s Luka Modric. From the three, only one would get the prize. Messi, however, was left out of the top three despite having stats that would earn anyone a shot at the list. With 45 goals with FC Barcelona last season, 18 assists and a domestic double, Lionel Messi produced a brilliant season, but the bar for him seems too high. And that has surprised many football lovers. Leo Messi last season: ✅ 3 trophies ✅ European Golden Shoe Highest amount of: ✅ Goals ✅ Assists ✅ Chances Created ✅ Key Passes ✅ Goals from free-kicks Yet he isn't in the shortlist for the UEFA POTY. pic.twitter.com/r6cN1ntgO8 — Football Tweet (@Football__Tweet) August 20, 2018 In fact, the Barcelona superstar ranks fifth among the top ten players, lower than Atletico Madrid’s World Cup winning forward Antoine Griezmann, who ranks fourth. Do you think Messi deserved to be one of the top 3?<doc-sep>The video will auto-play soon 8 Cancel Follow the major changes at the Nou Camp in our FREE Barca newsletter Invalid Email Something went wrong, please try again later. Sign up Thank you for subscribing We have more newsletters Show me See our privacy notice UEFA have announced their Men's Player of the Year nominees for the 2017/18 season - and there's no room for Lionel Messi. The Barcelona ace misses out as Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah all make up the three person shortlist. The shortlist was decided by a jury of 80 coaches of the clubs that participated in the Champions League and Europa League last season, along with 55 journalists. Jury members chose their final three by awarding five points to their first pick, three to their second and one to their third. The results will be revealed on August 30 ahead of this season's Champions League group stage draw. (Image: Action Images via Reuters) Previous winners of the accolade include Messi (10/11 and 14/15), Ronaldo (13/14, 15/16 and 16/17) and Franck Ribery (12/13). Salah's inclusion means he becomes the first Premier League player to be shortlisted for the award since its inauguration in 2011. He is also the first African footballer to reach the final three short-list. The Egyptian winger reached the Champions League final and scored 44 goals in a record breaking debut season for Liverpool. (Image: John Powell) (Image: FIFA via Getty) Modric makes the cut after helping guide Croatia to the World Cup final in Russia this summer. The midfielder was also awarded the Golden Ball for his series of impressive displays. Ronaldo completes the top three after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid for a third consecutive time. (Image: AFP) The three-person shortlist for the women's award was also revealed. Pernille Harder of Wolfsburg, Ada Hegerberg of Lyon and Amandine Henry also of Lyon made the cut. The points for the remaining top ten men's players 4 - Antoine Griezmann – 72 points 5 - Lionel Messi – 55 points 6 - Kylian Mbappe – 43 points 7 - Kevin De Bruyne – 28 points 8 - Raphaël Varane – 23 points 9 - Eden Hazard – 15 points 10 - Sergio Ramos – 12 points UEFA Men's Player of the Year odds* Luka Modric - 10/11 Cristiano Ronaldo - 6/4 Mo Salah - 9/2 *Odds provided by Betfair and correct at time of publishing.<doc-sep>
Lionel Messi has been savagely omitted from the shortlist for Uefa's Player of the Year awards, with rival Cristiano Ronaldo big favourite to win the award for a record fourth time. Ronaldo, who joined Juventus in the summer won the Champions League with Real Madrid, his third in the last four years, but was his all round performance for club and country better than the diminutive Argentinians? The award, which rivals the Ballon d'Or is run by UEFA and perhaps there in lies the reason for Ronaldo's preference over Messi. With Mohammed Salah and Luka Modric making up the three-man short-list, the pair also played in the UEFA Champions League, although Modric was also named the Golden Ball winner in this summer's World Cup in Russia. The bookies however make Ronaldo favourite to win his fourth and third award in a row. Messi, himself a two-time winner finished fifth in the long-list behind fourth place Antoine Griezmann who won the World Cup with France in the summer but was outscored in both La Liga and the Champions League last season by Messi. The 31 year old scored 45 times in 54 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona last season, Messi's stats the most impressive of any player in Europe when it comes to goalscoring and assists. 34 of his goals came in 36 appearances in La Liga whilst he netted six times in ten Champions League matches, whilst contributing 18 assists from those 45 matches. Ronaldo scored 44 times in all competitions for Real Madrid last season, albeit in ten games fewer than Messi and it's the fifteen goals in thirteen Champions League matches that sets the pair apart. Ronaldo's assist record was far worst though, with just fife in La Liga and three in the Champions League, although the Portuguese forward would often lead the attack for Madrid. It may have been a record 13th win in the Champions League for Real but Ronaldo couldn't win La Liga for Madrid, who finished a distant third last season behind Lionel Messi's Barcelona, with seventeen points between the pair. Messi and Barca also won the Copa De Rey, so Messi would be well within his rights to be a bit miffed for his shortlist omission.