Entertainment Gists
Luka Modric Wins FIFA Best Male Player Award 2018 [Full List of Winners]
Luka Modric was named the world’s best male player at the Best Fifa Football Awards in London.
The Real Madrid midfielder, 33, beat former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, now with Juventus, and Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah to the award.
Modric won his third Champions League title in a row in May and guided Croatia to their first World Cup final in July.
Brazil and Orlando Pride forward Marta won the best female player award, while France’s Didier Deschamps – whose side beat Modric’s Croatia 4-2 in the World Cup final – was named best men’s coach.
Salah received the Puskas award for the best goal, for his effort against Everton in the Premier League at Anfield last December.
Peru’s fans are awarded the Fifa Fan Award after many thousands of them flew to Russia in support of their nation’s first participation in the tournament since 1978. This accolade was voted purely by supporters.
What’s the difference between the Ballon d’Or and Best Fifa?
This is the third edition of the Best Fifa Football Awards, set up after Fifa ended its association with the Ballon d’Or award.
A version of the Ballon d’Or has been awarded by France Football magazine since 1956, but was merged with Fifa’s World Footballer of the Year award from 2010 to 2015.
Football’s world governing body then introduced the Best Fifa Football Awards, with Portugal international Ronaldo the first recipient of its main prize in January 2017.
Voting for the player and coach categories was conducted by national team captains and managers, selected journalists and, for the first time, an online poll of fans. Each accounted for 25% of the total.
Best Fifa men’s player – Luka Modric
Luka Modric ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s dominance of the best individual accolades in world football, which had stretched back to 2007, when Kaka won the Ballon d’Or.
Modric made 56 appearances for club and country as he won the Champions League and reached the World Cup final – beating England in the semi-final – in what he admitted before the ceremony was his “best season ever”.
Former England international Chris Waddle, working as a BBC Radio 5 live pundit, indentified Modric as the type of player that Gareth Southgate’s men were missing in that semi-final because of his ability to single-handedly influence games with his understanding and distribution.
The former Tottenham midfielder won the Golden Ball award for the best player in the World Cup after their final defeat by France.
He scored in Croatia’s opening two matches of the group stages and also set up one goal.
Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic paid tribute to his captain after the result was announced, saying the midfielder is like “my assistant in the field”.
“Luka Modric is the captain of my team, he’s the best player in my team and in the world, and he deserves this award,” said Dalic.
After receiving the award, Modric said he was “honoured” and thankful to all the coaches he has worked with for getting him to this stage.
“This award is not just mine. It is my team-mates from Real Madrid and Croatia. Without my coaches, I would not have won this and without my family I would not be the player I am today,” said Modric.
Best Fifa women’s player – Marta
Brazil and Orlando Pride forward Marta won the award for the best female player for the sixth time.
Her first recognition from Fifa for being the best female player n the world came in 2006.
She led Brazil to the Copa America in April, as they won all seven matches – although she only scored one of their 31 goals.
Marta scored 13 goals and set up six more as Orlando Pride reached the NWSL play-off semi-finals in the United States – earning herself a place in the league’s team of the year.
Fifpro World XI
Fifa made five changes to the side selected in 2017.
Kylian Mbappe, 19, was rewarded with a place in the side after winning the award for the best young player at this summer’s World Cup for his impressive performances for France.
There was also room for Chelsea and Belgium forward Eden Hazard, and his club mate N’Golo Kante, while Manchester United’s David de Gea was named in goal and Real Madrid’s Raphael Varane took his place in the heart of the defence.
However, Thibaut Courtois, who was voted as the best goalkeeper in the world, and best men’s player of the year finalist Salah, were not included in the World XI.
Best men’s coach – Didier Deschamps
France’s Didier Deschamps won the award for the best men’s coach in 2018.
The former Marseille, Juventus and Chelsea midfielder captained his country as they won the World Cup in 1998, before guiding them to victory again in Russia in July.
Deschamps won the trophy ahead of former club and international team-mate Zinedine Zidane – who won his third successive Champions League title before resigning as Real Madrid manager – and Croatia manager Zlatko Dalic, whose side lost to France in a thrilling final in Moscow.
Best Women’s coach – Reynald Pedros
Former France men’s midfielder Pedros took Lyon to the Ligue 1-Champions League double in his first season in charge.
Testament to Pedros’ spell in charge of the French and European champions is that two of his players, Ada Hegerberg and Dzsenifer Marozsan, were nominated for the best women’s player award.
Puskas award for best goal – Mohamed Salah
The Fifa Puskas award, named after the iconic former Hungarian international Ferenc Puskas, is given to the player who scored the best goal of 10 nominations.
Mohamed Salah’s stunning effort to open the scoring for Liverpool in his first Merseyside derby was the winner.
The Egyptian’s sublime curling finish towards the end of the first half at snowy Anfield in December 2017, was later cancelled out by a Wayne Rooney penalty as both sides played out a 1-1 draw.
Salah was chosen as the best of 10 goals, including Cristiano Ronaldo’s overhead kick against Juventus and Gareth Bales’ similarly acrobatic finish in the Champions League final against Liverpool.
Best goalkeeper – Thibaut Courtois
Former Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois was announced as the best goalkeeper in 2018.
Courtois played every minute of Belgium’s seven matches at the World Cup, as the country went on to claim third place – their highest ever finish at the tournament.
The 26-year-old came above Leicester City and Denmark’s number one Kasper Schmeichel, and Tottenham’s World Cup-winning goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who captained his country to lift the famous trophy in Russia.
Fair play
VVV-Venlo striker Lennart Thy missed his side’s Eredivisie game against PSV Eindhoven in March to donate stem cells to try and help a Leukaemia patient.
The 26-year-old German, who was on loan at the top-flight Dutch club from Werder Bremen, joined the donor register seven years ago and was a DNA match.
And Peru fans won the FIFA Fan Award
Nigerian emerging artist Druppythekid is set to release his new two-track pack, No Love and LA LA LA (Serenade), on November 13, 2026, delivering a message of ambition, self-belief, and defiance in the face of criticism.
Originally from Kwara State and based in Lagos, Druppythekid developed a love for rap, hip-hop, and pop music as a teenager. Introduced to poetry in high school, he found a natural connection between words and rap, eventually joining a rap group before exploring music production at university. After graduation, he began rapping over his own beats, turning his passion into a growing musical pursuit.
On “No Love,” Druppythekid speaks to the determination required to chase dreams despite doubt and opposition. “LA LA LA (Serenade)” takes a more unapologetic approach, dismissing the opinions of those who never believed in him.
Together, the two records reflect one central message: keep pursuing your vision and never let the opinions of others define your journey.
No Love and LA LA LA (Serenade) arrive on major digital streaming platforms on November 13, 2026.
Chinwe Zoe, a Nigerian gospel singer and songwriter, began recording music in December 2025 after years of singing in church and at home. Less than a year later, she has released three singles, including “Chinwendum”, featuring gospel singer Frank Edwards, “Undeniable” and “Jesus Don Win”, her October 2026 release produced by Masterkraft.
For Zoe, the decision to record was connected to a personal experience that changed how she viewed her life and faith. She has described it as a near-death experience that left her with a renewed sense of gratitude. “In that moment, when I thought it was over, God showed me mercy,” she said. “He gave me victory. And that victory was too loud to keep inside.”
Her debut, “Chinwendum”, was released in December 2025 with Frank Edwards featured on the record. She followed it with “Undeniable” on May 7, 2026. The song’s official video has recorded more than 460,000 views on YouTube. In October, she released “Jesus Don Win”, produced by Masterkraft, with a video directed by Avalon Okpe.
Zoe’s approach to songwriting draws on personal experiences and scripture. She has said that she does not begin the process by searching for a melody, but by waiting for a message that she can develop into a song. She describes a process in which an experience or scripture stays with her until it takes musical form. The melody follows, and she hums it before committing anything to writing.
Her guiding principle is that a gospel song should be accessible to listeners while remaining suitable for congregational worship. “It should be simple enough for a child to sing and strong enough for a choir to carry,” she said.
Zoe has identified CeCe Winans, Nathaniel Bassey and Dunsin Oyekan among the musicians whose work has influenced her. She sings in English and Igbo, and occasionally in Pidgin, drawing on the worship tradition in her musical expression.
“Every song I sing comes from a place I have lived,” she said. “My pain taught me how to worship, my joy taught me how to praise.”
Her music has also begun attracting an online audience. Her YouTube channel has recorded more than 627,000 views across nine videos, while her Spotify monthly listeners have been reported at approximately 6,500. Her Audiomack profile is verified. Zoe records under her own imprint, H2 Records, with distribution through ONErpm. She made her first public performance at the 2026 Annual Virtuous Women Network conference in Enugu, where she performed “Undeniable”.
Outside music, she has spoken about her interest in soul winning and described it as connected to her musical work. She has also said that she wants her songs to encourage listeners facing difficult circumstances. “I want my songs to shift mindsets from worry to worship,” she said. “Whenever anxiety comes, whenever life tries to make you feel small, I want you to hear my sound in your spirit and declare victory over your life.”
Nigerian artist N8TAN is set to unveil his highly anticipated ‘UPRISING EP’, a body of work that chronicles his journey from the streets to the heights of his musical ambition.
Built around themes of struggle, resilience, ambition, survival, and triumph, UPRISING captures the realities of an artist determined to turn adversity into momentum. The project reflects N8TAN’s experiences, the challenges that shaped him, and the relentless drive that continues to push him forward.
More than a collection of songs, UPRISING is presented as a story of transformation—from navigating the streets and confronting uncertainty to finding purpose, embracing growth, and rising toward the top.
With its blend of raw storytelling, infectious energy, and personal perspective, the EP offers listeners an intimate look into N8TAN’s world while reinforcing his determination to carve out his own place in the music industry.
‘UPRISING EP’ is a statement of elevation: a reminder that where you start does not have to determine where you finish.
As N8TAN continues to build his musical identity, UPRISING marks another significant chapter in his journey—and an invitation for listeners to rise with him.
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