Monday, December 3 was a memorable night for Luka
Modric, as he beat the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Antoine Griezmann, Kylian
Mbappe and Lionel Messi to win the 2018 Ballon d'Or. Luka Modric is the first
Croatian to win the prestigious award. The 33-year-old played a pivotal role
captaining Croatia to second place at the 2016 World Cup in Russia. Modric also
played a major role in Real Madrid's midfield as they won their third
consecutive Champions League Title.
Modric is the
first player to break the Messi and Ronaldo Ballon d'Or duopoly since 2007.
Brazil icon Kaka was the last to lift the trophy before Ronaldo and Messi won 5
Ballon d'Or awards each across the following years.
When accepting
his Ballon d'Or award, Modric said, "It's
a unique feeling, I'm happy, proud and it's an honor," he said as he
accepted the award. "[There are] extraordinary emotions at the
moment.
"I just want to thank all those who helped me to be here
tonight, I thank my team-mates, my coaches, the staff and Real Madrid, all those
who work there, the coaches and team-mates in the national team, the ones who
voted for me and my family, which allows me to blossom as a person.
"Always have dreams, I wanted to play in a big club, win
titles, the Ballon d'Or is all I could dream [about] as a child, it's an honor
to win it tonight.
"It's a great pleasure to be here around
these players. I keep thinking, I'm trying to get used to being part of
this group of exceptional players who have won the Ballon d'Or in history. It's
a great pleasure to be part of this group.
"Throughout my career I understood that work,
persistence, believing in yourself, is the basis for expressing your talent. I
like a saying - the best is never easy. For me, it was not easy. It was
necessary to seize the opportunities."
"Changing position allowed me to develop my game, before
I was more an offensive player. When I retreated, I had a better vision of the
game, I could better express my creativity, my game. In my second year in
Tottenham, I played midfielder and I felt better in the middle."
Ronaldo came second, Antoine Griezmann, third, Kylian Mbappe
who won the Kopa Trophy came fourth, and Messi, relegated to the fifth
position.
Messi's poor rank was probably the biggest surprise of the
night as he broke and made new records throughout 2018. For the first time
since 2007, Messi failed to make the top three of the Ballon d'Or.
For the first time, France Football doled out a women's
Ballon d'Or, which was won by Norway and Lyon star Ada Hegerberg. At 23,
Hegerberg won the first women's Ballon d'Or after a Champions League and Ligue
1 Feminine double.
See the complete ranking of this year's Ballon d'Or nominees
below.
29 (tied) - Isco (Real Madrid, Spain)
29 (tied) - Hugo Lloris (Tottenham, France)
28 - Diego Godin (Atletico Madrid, Uruguay)
25 (tied) - Mario Mandzukic (Juventus, Croatia)
25 (tied) - Jan Oblak (Atletico Madrid, Slovakia)
25 (tied) - Alisson (Roma/Liverpool, Brazil)
22 (tied) - Marcelo (Real Madrid, Brazil)
22 (tied) - Sadio Mane (Liverpool, Senegal)
22 (tied) - Edinson Cavani (PSG, Uruguay)
19 (tied) - Ivan Rakitic (Barcelona, Croatia)
19 (tied) - Roberto Firmino (Liverpool, Brazil)
19 (tied) - Sergio Ramos (Real Madrid, Spain)
17 (tied) - Gareth Bale (Real Madrid, Wales)
17 (tied) - Karim Benzema (Real Madrid, France)
16 - Sergio Aguero (Man City, Argentina)
15 - Paul
Pogba (Man United, France)
14 - Thibaut Courtois (Chelsea/Real Madrid, Belgium)
13 - Luis Suarez (Barcelona, Uruguay)
12 - Neymar (PSG, Brazil
11 - N'Golo Kante (Chelsea, France)
10 - Harry Kane (Tottenham, England)
9 - Kevin De Bruyne (Man City, Belgium)
8 - Eden Hazard (Chelsea, Belgium)
7 - Raphael Varane (Real Madrid, France)
6 - Mohamed Salah (Liverpool, Egypt)
5 - Lionel Messi (Barcelona, Argentina)
4 - Kylian Mbappe (PSG, France)
3 - Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid, France)
2 - Cristiano Ronaldo (Real Madrid/Juventus, Portugal)
1 - Luka Modric (Real Madrid, Croatia)
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