NYON, Switzerland (AP)- Cristiano Ronaldo is on a three-man shortlist to be named the best player in Europe for last season.
Ronaldo will be up against Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric and Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah for the award next week at the Champions League draw ceremony in Monaco.
The award typically rewards Champions League performances, but voters can take the World Cup into account. Modric won the Golden Ball for captaining Croatia to the final, where his team lost to France.
UEFA says voting by Champions League coaches and invited journalists across Europe placed three Frenchmen 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.

*****Lionel Messi will miss out on UEFA's Player of the Year award, which will go to Luka Modric, Cristiano Ronaldo or Mohamed Salah.