If Mohamed Salah is one of the three best players in the world then surely he should make it into the best XI in the world, right?
Fifa’s ‘The Best’ awards ceremony took place on Monday night and, as usual, there was plenty of room for debate when all was said and done.
Many of the arguments revolved around Mohamed Salah.
Salah was one of three men nominated for Fifa’s best men’s player of the year, along with Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modric, but was beaten out.
The Egypt international came out on top when it came to the Puskas Award, however, as his stunning effort against Everton was voted the best goal of the year in the face of stiff competition from the likes of Ronaldo and Gareth Bale.
A deserving winner? https://t.co/ZLHUT87rvT
— FootballJOE (@FootballJOE) September 24, 2018
Hardcore Liverpool supporters argued that Salah ought to have been named the best player but Modric took that prize home after three consecutive Champions League triumphs and a journey to the World Cup final with Croatia.
Others suggested that there were better goals than Salah’s that should have earned the Puskas Award.
And most neutrals were left baffled after Salah was left out of Fifa’s FifPro XI, meaning that the Reds forward was considered to be in the top three players in the world in one category but not in the top XI in the world in another.
🚨 ALERT 🚨 @FIFPro & @FIFAcom proudly present the #World11 of 2018! 🎊 🎉
Well done to all players that have been selected! 👏
📖👉https://t.co/DGHqVqhmrf#TheBest #FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/gxxsQ3Juc9
— FIFPRO (@FIFPRO) September 24, 2018
Another major issue with the selection came with the fact that Thibaut Courtois, who was voted the world’s best goalkeeper earlier in the evening, was omitted from the XI at the expense of David de Gea.
Salah is top 3 player of the year. But not in the FIFPro team. Courtois is the best goalie but also not in the team? How do these things work?
— phantéau (@_wangwe) September 24, 2018
Salah is in the top 3 of FIFA's best but doesn't make it into FIFPRO XI
— KEO (@lifeofkoffai__) September 24, 2018
Salah can't make Fifpro 11 but he's in the final 3 best players? I'm so confused
— Yeezi 🐻 (@eromzy) September 24, 2018
No Salah, no Courtois in FIFPRO World XI. How do FIFA perform these magics? Harry Potter style. #FifafootballAwards #TheBest
— Bolarinwa Olajide (@iambolar) September 24, 2018
-How did Salah get the Puskas award? Wasn't even his best goal.
-How did Mbappe get ahead of Salah in the FIFPro XI? Ridiculous.
-Courtois apparently won the best GK award, but wasn't in the best XI. Obviously De Gea deserved both.
FIFA. Fucking joke.
— Tanish (@hipster_szn) September 24, 2018
https://twitter.com/FanAnticsFC/status/1044314947482783744
I really don't understand why Courtois who won goalkeeper of the year award and Salah who's shortlisted for #TheBest award are not a part of the FIFPro XI.
It's just stupid
— Héctor ϟ (@ChkVilla) September 24, 2018
HOW DOES SALAH GET NOMINATED FOR THE B E S T AWARD BUT NOT GET INTO THE FIFPRO WORLD 11???????!?!?! WHERE IS THE LOGIC
— Monkey D. Luffy 🇿🇦🇵🇸 🐦🔥 (@KayTheEpic) September 24, 2018
Oh my days 😂 no salah in the fifpro 11. What on earth is going on here 😂 #FifaFootballAwards
— Matthew Poysden (@MattPois) September 24, 2018
How is Salah not in FIFPro 11 #TheBest
— Siir SlimDaddy (@InnocentLovetto) September 24, 2018