Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic believes any individual prize Lionel Messi cannot win this season should go to his Croatia team-mate Luka Modric.
Fresh from winning the World Cup Golden Ball after leading his nation to the final, Modric was named the UEFA Men's Player of the Year and is a contender for the Best FIFA Men's Player.
Messi missed out on being nominated for the latter, with Real Madrid midfielder Modric competing with Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah for the prize.
Rakitic believes Modric deserves the Best award, and any other honour his Barcelona team-mate Messi cannot win.
"If there is an individual prize that Lionel Messi can't win, then there's no doubt that this season it should go to Luka Modric," he told Marca.
"It wouldn't surprise me if he were to win with many more votes. This has been his year and I am really happy for him.
Luka Modric, in the words of others Hear what some of world football’s biggest names had to say about the FIFA Men’s Player 2018 finalist September 10, 2018
"If Messi isn't the best, then it has to be Modric."
As well as leading Croatia to the World Cup final, Modric helped Madrid win the Champions League last season.
'People will remember us because we got to No.1 in the world rankings and achieved great things - but our biggest regret is that we didn’t win anything': Ex-Everton star Kevin Mirallas opens up on 'honour' of being part of nation's golden generation
‘I’m sure we’d have finished in the top four or five if he hadn’t joined Chelsea in January. Him leaving damaged the team, but we couldn’t stand in his way’: Alan Curbishley reflects on failed Champions League dream after selling key player
