Ever since the FIFA Golden Ball Award was split once more, with World Footballer of the Year and the European Golden Ball Award again becoming two major annual events in the football world, and with UEFA vigorously promoting its Season's Best Player award in recent years, the highest honors in world football had vaguely formed a three-way standoff.
For various reasons, FIFA had repeatedly moved its annual finale awards ceremony forward, and had also adjusted its location.
It had originally been held in December, but was later moved to January of the following year. That made the award seem more like an annual honor than a season award. In recent years, however, the ceremony had been moved earlier and earlier, from the end of October last year to the end of September this year.
UEFA's Season's Best Player award was held at the end of August, while FIFA's awards ceremony came at the end of September. This made the latter seem more like a season award than an annual award, honoring the players who had performed best during the previous season.
Yet because this was a World Cup year, many people wondered whether a dark horse might emerge.
For example, Modrić, Real Madrid's midfield linchpin, who had won five consecutive Champions League titles and finished as World Cup runner-up?
Or perhaps Mbappé, Real Madrid's French prodigy, who had won the World Cup and five consecutive Champions League titles?
Or Yang Yang, who had led the China Team to the World Cup quarterfinals once again, guided Real Madrid to five consecutive Champions League titles, and won numerous awards?
All three nominees came from Real Madrid!
Although Yang Yang had transferred to Ajax, he had still been nominated on the strength of his outstanding performances for Real Madrid.
That filled the final