Modric breaks stranglehold
PARIS: Luka Modric has won the Ballon d’Or award for the first time to end the 10year stranglehold of fivetime winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Modric helped Real Madrid win a third successive Champions League title in May and captained Croatia to its first World Cup final, being named player of the tournament despite his side losing 42 to France.
‘‘As a kid we all have dreams. My dream was to play for a big club and win important trophies,’’ Modric, who is the first Croatian to win the prestigious award in its 62year existence, said.
‘‘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.’’
The award, voted for by journalists and organised by French magazine France Foot ball, has been dominated by Messi and Ronaldo since 2008.
Ronaldo was second in the voting followed by France forward Antoine Griezmann, whoses national teammate, Kylian Mbappe, was fourth while Messi was fifth — the first time he has been outside the top three since 2007.
The mot recent player to win the Ballon d’Or before Ronaldo and Messi was Brazil midfielder Kaka with AC Milan in 2007.
Modric dislodged Ronaldo as the Fifa world player of the year in September.
Mbappe (19), the youngest player to score in a World Cup final, won the inaugural Kopa Trophy awarded to the best young player.
Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg won the inaugural women’s Ballon d’Or.
Hegerberg is a threetime Women’s Champions League winner with French side Lyon and scored a tournamentrecord 15 times last season.
‘‘I want to say thanks to France Football. It’s a huge step for women’s football,’’ Hegerberg said.
‘‘I want to end this speech with a message to all young girls in the world; believe in yourselves.’’
France Football magazine has been awarding the Ballon d’Or since 1956, and created a women’s award for the first time this year. — AP