Modric opens d’Or

LUKA MODRIC was named winner of the 2018 Ballon d’Or to break Cristiano Ronaldo’s and Lionel Messi’s 10-year hold on the award.

The Real Madrid star,

33, helped his club win a third successive Champions League title in May and also captained Croatia to their first World Cup final, being named player of

KISSTORY MAN: Modric enjoys the moment the tournament despite his side losing 4-2 to France. The award, voted for by journalists and organised by French magazine France Football, has been dominated by Messi and Ronaldo since 2008. There was controversy surrounding the first women’s award when winner, Lyon and Norway striker Ada Hegerberg, was asked to twerk by presenter and French DJ, Martin Solveig. MANUEL Pellegrini has vowed to help “£100million” Jack Wilshere get back into Gareth Southgate’s England plans.

The 26-year-old is fit again after three months out and ready to fight for a place in the West Ham team.

“Jack is just 26 and he has the quality to play in the national team,” said Pellegrini. “In football, the important thing is the quality. That you cannot buy. You either have it or you don’t.”

Wilshere was a late substitute on Saturday in West Ham’s 3-0 win at Newcastle and set up the third goal for Felipe Anderson.

Pellegrini claims the former Arsenal man will be a regular fixture in his first team when he is 100 per cent fit.

“We knew before that he was not a player who would be available for every game,” said Pellegrini. “But also that he is a player of a quality that is not easy to bring to West Ham at a price we could afford. “Maybe players of the quality of Wilshere can cost £100m, £90m, £70m.” West Ham host Cardiff this evening, with Bluebirds manager Neil Warnock hoping Junior Hoilett can keep delivering after scoring the winner against Wolves on Friday. “Junior was in the ‘leper’ colony when I met him at QPR in 2015,” said Warnock. “Nobody wanted to know but I came in and wiped the slate clean.”