Grigg equals Pogba in best player vote

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Northern Ireland striker Will Grigg received as many votes as France midfielder Paul Pogba in Uefa's search for Europe's best player.

 

Journalists from 55 member associations voted for their five best-ranked players for last season.

 

Juventus' Pogba and Wigan's Grigg came 25th out of 37, while Gareth Bale and Lionel Messi made the 10-man shortlist.

 

Grigg, 25, failed to make an appearance at Euro 2016 but gained notoriety after a song was adapted in his honour.

 

'Will Grigg's On Fire' - a parody on Gala's 1996 song Freed From Desire - was written by Wigan fan Sean Kennedy, after Grigg scored 25 goals in League One during the 2015-16 season.

 

The song went on to reach number six in the iTunes chart and was sung by fans throughout Euro 2016.

 

Pogba was part of the France team beaten in the final of the tournament by Portugal, and the 23-year-old has been linked with a £100m move to Manchester United.

 

The 10-man shortlist (in alphabetical order)

 

Gareth Bale (Real Madrid & Wales)

Gianluigi Buffon (Juventus & Italy)

Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid & France)

Toni Kroos (Real Madrid & Germany)

Lionel Messi (Barcelona & Argentina)

Thomas Müller (Bayern Munich & Germany)

Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich & Germany)

Pepe (Real Madrid & Portugal)

Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid & Portugal)

Luis Suarez (Barcelona & Uruguay)

 

No Premier League players made the top 10. Leicester and Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez and Foxes and England striker Jamie Vardy finished 11th and 12th respectively, while West Ham and France midfielder Dimitri Payet came 13th in the vote.

 

The list will be cut to three players in August, with a Uefa panel deciding the winner during the Champions League group stage draw in Monaco on 25 August.

 

Barcelona's Ballon d'Or winner Messi will be hoping to pick up his third award after claiming the inaugural prize in 2011.

http://www.bbc.com/sport/football/36825307