Modric ends Messi, Ronaldo reign
CLEAN SWEEP Croatian wins Ballon d’or for his outstanding performances in the Champions League, 2018 World Cup wins
PARIS: Luka Modric ended the long domination of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo by winning the Ballon d’or for the first time on Monday, while another first saw Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg win the inaugural women’s trophy.
Messi and Ronaldo had won every Ballon d’or since 2008, and usually fought only each other for the greatest recognition among football’s elite.
Women’s fight for recognition on the biggest stage took a big step with Hegerberg’s award.
Modric won the Champions League with Real Madrid and then guided Croatia to the World Cup final in July. The midfielder was voted player of the tournament.
“As a kid we all have dreams. My dream was to play for a big club and win important trophies,” Modric said. “The Ballon d’or was more than a dream for me and it is really an honor and a privilege to hold this trophy.”
Ronaldo was second in the polling followed by France’s Antoine Griezmann. France’s teen star, Kylian Mbappe, was fourth. Brazil star Neymar was third last year but only 12th this time. Messi was fifth in the voting, having been runner-up to Ronaldo the past two years and in the top three every year since 2007. Modric had never previously been in the top three.
“2018 is a dream year for me,” the 33-year-old Modric said. “Throughout my career I realised hard work, persistence and belief in yourself in difficult moments are the foundations of success.”
Modric’s father was shown on the big screen wiping away tears during the ceremony at the imperious Grand Palais in Paris.
Ronaldo missed out on a record sixth award, which would have moved him one ahead of Messi. The last player to win it before those two started dominating world football awards was Brazil midfielder Kaka with AC Milan in 2007.
Ronaldo also won the Champions League last season with Modric, before leaving to join Juventus. He scored a hat trick against Spain at the World Cup but he failed to make an impression winner of Ballon d’or on Monday since Italy's Fabio Cannavaro, also 33, in 2006.
outstanding year in which he starred in the Real Madrid side that retained the Champions League for the third straight time last season before up the goals and assists like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, who had dominated the when Portugal lost to Uruguay in the round of 16.
Mbappe and Griezmann scored in the 4-2 World Cup final win against Croatia. Mbappe earned a domestic treble with Paris Saint-germain. Griezmann also scored twice for Atletico Madrid in the Europa League final win against Marseille.
France coach Didier Deschamps said a France player should have won the award. “They deserve it because of what they did with the national team at the World Cup and also because of the trophies they won with their clubs,” Deschamps said.
The 19-year-old Mbappe — the youngest player to score in a World Cup final — won the Raymond Kopa Trophy awarded to the best young player. heroically helping drag his country into the final of the World Cup for the first time in their history.
claimed the Golden Ball for the best player at the 2018 World Cup before picking up UEFA'S prize for Player of the Season and FIFA'S Best Player award in September. award since 2008, Modric was one of the most influential midfielders last season for both Real Madrid and Croatia. win the Ballon d'or. Davor Suker is the only other Croatian ever to finish in the top three — in 1998 .
from Real to lift the trophy, breaking a tie with Barcelona players. Counting multiple winners,ers each club now has won 11 overall.
shortlist of 30 players is employed by a team in the top division in England, Spain, Italy or France. Real had eight players among the final 30 while Liverpool had four, and Barcelona, PSG and Atletico had three each. forward Kaka, in 2007, was the last player other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo to have won the award. Messi won in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015 while Ronaldo won in 2008, 2013, 2014,
2016 and 2017. (Croatia,
Real Madrid) (Portugal, Real Madrid, Juventus) (France, Atletico Madrid) (France, Paris St Germain)
all have dreams. My dream was to play for a big club and win important trophies. The Ballon d'or was more than just a dream for me and it is really an honour and a privilege to hold this trophy." (Argentina, Barcelona)