UEFA has released the final list for the Best Player in Europe award for 2015/2016, which is slated for late August. However, there is something a little odd this time around, and that is the absence of the name LIONEL MESSI from the list of three.
This time, the award is destined for Madrid after Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale and Atletico’s Antoine Griezmann were shortlisted.
Ronaldo is favourite to win the award, having led Real Madrid to their 11th Champions League win against Atletico Madrid in 2015-16, before leading Portugal to victory in European championship seeing off France in the final.
Bale led Wales on a wonderful run to the Euro 2016 semi-finals and also won the Champions League with Real.
Griezmann was a beaten finalist in both the Champions league and the Euro 2016, but he was the top scorer at the Euros this summer.
Lionel Messi won the award in 2015 but was ranked fifth on this year’s original list behind his team-mate Luis Suarez.
As in previous years, journalists from each of UEFA’s 55 member associations provided an initial list of their five best-ranked players, with the first receiving five points, the second four, and so on. The ten players with the most points advanced to a second round of voting, which has determined the three finalists named.
UEFA Best Player in Europe top 10
| Ranking | Player | Club |
| 1= | Cristiano Ronaldo | Real Madrid |
| 1= | Gareth Bale | Real Madrid |
| 1= | Antoine Griezmann | Atletico Madrid |
| 4 | Luis Suarez | Barcelona |
| 5 | Lionel Messi | Barcelona |
| 6 | Gianluigi Buffon | Juventus |
| 7 | Pepe | Real Madrid |
| 8 | Manuel Neuer | Bayern Munich |
| 9 | Toni Kroos | Real Madrid |
| 10 | Thomas Muller | Bayern Munich |
