Topics: Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Luka Modric, Raphael Varane, Eden Hazard, The Best FIFA Awards
The Portuguese ace was shortlisted for the coveted prize alongside 10 other stars.

FIFA has announced their nominees for this year's The Best Men's Player award, naming a who's who list of star performers. Last year's winner Cristiano Ronaldo is once again a contender and will face competition from 10 other men.

After winning a third consecutive Champions League title, his fifth overall, the Portuguese ace skyrocketed ahead of everyone to become the favorite to win this prize for the third time. His exploits at the World Cup will only help his odds, but the competition in Russia has produced a list of worthy contenders.

One man who looks to challenge the Portuguese icon is Kylian Mbappe, the Young Player of the Tournament in Russia. He won the domestic treble with PSG before stealing the show en route to France's title success. 

Two other Real Madrid players also made the cut in the form of Raphael Varane and Luka Modric. The latter was at the heart of Croatia's remarkable runner-up finish at the World Cup while the 25-year-old was the commanding figure in Les Bleus' back four.

Antoine Griezmann is the last of three Frenchman to make the cut, while Kevin De Bruyne and Eden Hazard are the only two Belgian representatives on the list. The latter impressed in Russia and now looks destined to complete a move to Santiago Bernabeu as a result.

Harry Kane, who won the 2018 World Cup Golden Boot, also got a nod. The Tottenham ace is only one of two players on the 11-man shortlist to have not won silverware with club or country but his exploits with the Three Lions garnered him rave reviews.

Despite his underwhelming performance with Argentina, Messi was an expected inclusion after winning the league and cup double and European Golden Boot in 2017/18. Mohamed Salah, who crashed out in the group stage with Egypt, also earned a nomination.

The Best FIFA Women's Player nominees were also announced on earlier on Tuesday. Just as the other awards, 11 names were shortlisted for the 2018 prize. Check out the tweet below.