Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic on Luka Modric:

“Luka Modric is the captain of my team, he’s the best player in my team and also in the world. He’ll deserve this award.

"He’s a very good man, a serious guy, a professional guy. He’s like my assistant in the field and I really appreciate Luka Modric for everything this guy did this year and he deserves everything.”

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Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Luka Modric is the winner!

Fifa President Gianni Infantino is here to hand out the award...

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Luka Modric enjoyed arguably the best year of his career as he won a third consecutive Champions League trophy - before reaching the World Cup final with Croatia.

In the summer his international team-mate Dejan Lovren said: "Modric would probably be getting more attention if he was German or Spanish. He would maybe even be a Ballon d'Or winner."

The midfielder won the Golden Ball award for the best player in the World Cup after their final defeat by France. He scored in their opening two matches and also set up one goal.

He also won the UEFA Men's Player of the Year award - beating Ronaldo and Salah in the process.

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Getty Images

Mohamed Salah had the season of his career to take Liverpool to the Champions League final and Egypt to the World Cup - although he ended up without a trophy.

Following a £34m move from Roma in June 2017, he scored 44 goals in 52 games for Liverpool, winning the Premier League Golden Boot on his return to English football after a disappointing spell at Chelsea earlier in his career.

A shoulder injury suffered in the Champions League final meant he was not fully fit in Egypt's first World Cup since 1990 - but he did still manage two goals in as many games and scored a crucial penalty to send his country to the competition.

There were 10 nominees for the Best Men's Player award, including the three finalists.

Among the players nominated were Manchester City midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, Chelsea talisman Eden Hazard and Tottenham striker Harry Kane.

De Bruyne won the League Cup and the Premier League with City and reached the World Cup semi-finals with Belgium, alongside Hazard.

England captain Kane won the Golden Boot after finishing top scorer at the World Cup and scored 30 goals in 37 games in the Premier League.

Hazard won the FA Cup with Chelsea last season and has already bagged five goals and two assists in the Premier League this season.

As well as Argentina's Lionel Messi, there were three World Cup champions in the running - Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe and Raphael Varane.

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In a public vote on the BBC Sport website, Marta was voted as the second best player in the world. Interesting.

Mohamed Salah was voted as the men's best. That award is up next...

Compatriot Ronaldinho gives her a hearty applause.

Marta says "I have always looked forward to winning an award like this as a footballer".

Marta is emotional as she delivers her victory speech on stage. She is completely overwhelmed!

Brazilian Marta, who plays for the Orlando Pride, wins the Best Women's Award!

She led Brazil to the Copa America in April, as they won all seven matches. She also grabbed 13 goals and six assists as Orlando Pride reached the NWSL play-off semi-finals in the United States.

Alex Scott speaking to BBC Sport: "This is a chance to celebrate football! I don't know which way it will go [for the Best Women's Award].

"But I am looking at Dzsenifer Marozsan and what she has done with Lyon, what she continues to do with the national team...

"It's rare in women's football. She is a level above."

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The audience are enjoying a brilliant montage of the Women's Best finalists.

Chris: No Liverpool in 11? Hazard had a decent World Cup but really? Alves? PSG are a glorified pub team. Beyond biased. Amazed they left out Neymar!

Jaylock: So Salah is among the best three players in the world and Courtois wins the best goalkeeper award but they both don't qualify for the FiFapro...make me understand please?

Next up is the Best Women's Award.

Competing for the accolade are Ada Hegerberg, Dzsenifer Marozsan and Marta. Tremendous players!

N'Golo Kante receives a huge applause! Everyone loves him!

Chelsea and Belgium midfielder Eden Hazard: "I am just proud to be next to players like this. Some of them are friends of mine.

"I am just happy to be here."

Team-mate N'Golo Kante: "I am really proud to be here. I am enjoying this evening and I am very happy. I hope everyone has a good night!"

France World Cup winner Marcel Desailly: "The transition is going to be very good in that team. It is a great XI. One that every coach would dream about!

"I was playing with another type of talent. They were very strong. I would have loved to have enjoyed and played at the level that Raphael Varane and Sergio Ramos are playing."

Patrick Stewart welcomes the 'dream team' on stage and says "they really are the best players in the world".

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are the only two not here to collect their awards. Idris Elba says "just two players we have never heard of" and requests a selfie with the team.

No place for Mohammed Salah, who has made the final three for the Men's Best Award. Thibaut Courtois also misses out despite winning the Best Goalkeeper Award.

Eden Hazard (Chelsea)

Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus)