(Modric with his UEFA award. Photo: Agence France Presse)

Croatian midfielder Luka Modric has won the UEFA Player of the Year honour after a stellar Champions League outing with Real Madrid.

 Modric who helped Real to a third straight Champions League title and guided Croatia to the FIFA World Cup final, beat Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah to the top prize.

The 32-year-old got 313 votes to finish ahead of three-time winner Ronaldo of Juventus who received 223 votes and Liverpool's Salah with 134 votes.

Antoine Grizemann of France and Atletico de Madrid and Argentine superstar Lionel Messi of Barcelona finished in fourth and fifth places respectively.

Modric becomes only the third footballer aside Ronaldo and Messi to be recognized as the best player in Europe since the inception of the award in 2011.

A jury of 80 coaches from last term's Champions League and Europa League group stages as well as one journalist each of UEFA's 55 member associations, chose their top three players.

UEFA stated that the accolade recognizes the best players from a European club, irrespective of nationality as the players are judged based on their performances in domestic, continental and international competitions.

Meanwhile, Keylor Navas, Sergio Ramos, Modric and Ronaldo were named UEFA's best goalkeeper, defender, midfielder and forward of the season.


In the women's circle, Danish international Pernille Harder, of German side Wolfsburg, scooped the UEFA Women's Player of the Year gong.

Harder, a losing finalist with Wolfsburg, edged out Ada Hegerberg (Olympique Lyon/Norway) and Amadine Henry (Portland Thorns/Lyon) to the award.

Elsewhere, former England, Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham received the UEFA's President Award for his achievements in football and his works since retiring as a player.

Johan Cruyff, Franz Beckenbauer, Eusebio and Sir Bobby Charlton were also recognized during the ceremony and UEFA Champions League draw in Monaco.


In the same day, Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur were handed tough Champions League group-stage draw.

Group A: Atletico Madrid, Dortmund, AS Monaco, Club Brugge​

Group B: Barcelona, Tottenham, PSV, Inter Milan

Group C: PSG, Napoli, Liverpool, Red Star Belgrade

Group D: Lokomotiv Moscow, Porto, Schalke, Galatasaray​

Group E: Bayern, Benfica, Ajax, AEK Athens

Group F: Man City, Shakhtar Donetsk, Lyon, Hoffenheim​

Group G: Real Madrid, AS Roma, CSKA Moscow, Viktoria Plzen

Group H: Juventus, Man United, Valencia, Young Boys

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