The Real Madrid and Croatian superstar Luka Modric has added yet another accolade to his stunning trophy collection by winning the Ballon d'Or 2018. With this, he becomes the first ever Croat to win the most prestigious award in football.
The 33-year-old enjoyed a great 2017-18 season with Real Madrid and helped the Los Blancos win their third successive Champions League trophy. He scored two goals in all competitions last season and assisted eight for his teammates.
The midfielder also surprisingly led Croatia to the final of the FIFA World Cup 2018 and was awarded the Golden Ball at the tournament. He won the UEFA Men's Player of the Year 2017–18 accolade along with the FIFA Men's Best Player award.
Modric's triumph marked an end to the decade-long dominance of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who won the award five times each in the last 10 years. Ronaldo finished as the runner-up this year, whereas Messi failed to make it to the top three of the Ballon d'Or for the first time since 2006, finishing fifth in this year's final vote.
Mohamed Salah, who enjoyed a brilliant 2017-18 season with Liverpool, finished sixth while Kylian Mbappe, Anthonio Greizmann, Kevin de Bruyne and Raphaël Varane all made it to the top 10.
Big names like Neymar, Paul Pogba and Luis Suarez all failed to make to the top 10.
This year France Football also introduced an inaugural award in the women's category for the first time since the ceremony's inception in 1956. The trophy was won by Ada Hegerberg of Olympique Lyonnais Féminin. Kylian Mbappe was named as the winner of the Kopa Trophy for the best player of the year under the age of 21 at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
Scores of football fans reacted to Luka Modric's triumph on Twitter, and here is a look at some of the best tweets:
But Luka Modric win Ballon D'Or pic.twitter.com/KZMVExTjai— Lionel Sumon Talukder (@lionel_sumon) December 3, 2018
After #Modric Winning Ballon D'or#BallonDor2018 #Messi #Ronaldo— Ahsan Ayaz (@AhsanAyazPTI) December 3, 2018
Football be like: pic.twitter.com/j2tzMmr2ur
The #BallondOr has lost all credibility as a trophy. Not only does it fail to assess individual success in a team sport, but it's more of a popularity contest than anything else. Messi is one of the greatest players in the world. Ranking him fifth is a joke.— Jacob Noseworthy (@JacobNoseworthy) December 3, 2018
Puskas: I'm the worst award given in 2018— 👑I_O_J👑 (@D_one_above_all) December 3, 2018
Ballon d' or: hold my beer😹#BallondOr pic.twitter.com/TqFbPsBXvM
Modric really about to take the Ballon d'Or with these stats?😭 #BallonDor pic.twitter.com/y4K9VBcnRL— ⚡HoodRaikage⚡ (@thia6o2) December 3, 2018
Imagine been supporting Real Madrid watching Luka Modric helping the club so much over the past five years and still not feeling excited for him..— MÖ (@LasaetaRubia9) December 3, 2018
Those who think Luka Modric doesn't deserve the #BallonDor either don't know who he is or what football is! 😉 #BallonDor2018 #LukaBallonDeOro 🎶 pic.twitter.com/3qsBRQo4UU— Peña Madridista de Nagpur (@RMNagpur) December 3, 2018
One day you will be alone with your grandkids and you'll have to explain how Luka Modric is better than RONALDO and MESSI #BallonDor pic.twitter.com/oFQUPk1ubh— PRoCRaSTiNaToR (@Blueremmmy) December 3, 2018
— Chris (@_chrisnjogu) December 3, 2018
• Cristiano Ronaldo - 55 games, 54 goals and 11 assists.— Cristiano Ronaldo (@TeamCRonaldo) December 3, 2018
• Lionel Messi - 54 games, 46 goals and 18 assists.
• Luka Modrić - 59 games, 5 goals and 11 assists.
There's only one deserved winner and that is Cristiano Ronaldo.
https://t.co/AxvCdezJQV
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