Ronaldo, Salah, Modric up for UEFA award

NYON, Switzerland (AP):

The UEFA award for the best Europe-based player last season won't be won by a World Cup champion from France.

Instead, three-time winner Cristiano Ronaldo was joined yesterday by former Real Madrid teammate Luka Modric and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah on a shortlist selected by Champions League coaches and invited journalists across Europe.

Three France players were in the top 10: Antoine Griezmann of AtlEtico Madrid was fourth, Kylian Mbappe of Paris Saint-Germain was sixth, and Raphael Varane of Real Madrid was eighth.

The award typically rewards Champions League performances - with all three on the shortlist having played in the final in May - but voters can take the World Cup into account. Coaches could not vote for players on their own team.

"Players are judged on their performances in all competitions - domestic, continental, and international," UEFA said in a statement.

The winner will be announced on August 30 in Monaco at the draw for the group stage of the Champions League.

At the World Cup in Russia, Griezmann won the Bronze Ball as the third-best player at the tournament, selected by a FIFA expert panel, plus the Silver Boot for second place in the scoring table. Mbappe was named best young player in Russia.

Modric won the Golden Ball for captaining Croatia to the final, where his team lost to France.

Ronaldo, now with Juventus, has won the UEFA award each time Madrid have been European champion since the vote was introduced in 2011.

UEFA will also name the best goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and forward in Monaco next week. Ronaldo and Salah are on the forwards shortlist with Messi, and Modric is joined by Kevin De Bruyne and Toni Kroos on the midfielders list.

Varane is on an all-Madrid defenders list with Marcelo and Sergio Ramos, and the goalkeeper candidates are Alisson, Gianluigi Buffon, and Keylor Navas.