Luka Modric did what many thought was impossible before Monday – end Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s decade-long domination of football’s individual awards. The Croatia captain was crowned Fifa’s best player of the year, an award voted for by international team captains and coaches.
The midfielder starred for both club and country as Real Madrid won a third straight Champions League and Croatia reached the World Cup final for the first time.
At 33, Croatia’s run to the final was the culmination of a brilliant career for Modric that had often been overshadowed by Ronaldo’s goalscoring in their time together at Madrid.
At the World Cup, Modric scored twice and also netted in penalty shootout wins over Denmark and Russia, but it was his playmaking ability that caught the eye in winning the Golden Ball for the best player at the World Cup.
Dedicated to everyone who loves football ⚽️❤️ pic.twitter.com/pCAs2Llc7i
— Luka Modrić (@lukamodric10) September 24, 2018
🇭🇷 @LukaModric10 in 2018:
— SPORF (@Sporf) September 24, 2018
🏆 Champions League Winner
🥇 World Cup Golden Ball
🇭🇷 World Cup Finalist
🏆 UEFA Player of the Year
🏆 UCL Midfielder of the Season
🏆 FIFA Player of the Year
😍 Phenomenal. pic.twitter.com/9ui20hQMtn
🏆 THE BEST FIFA Men's Player 2018 is...
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 24, 2018
🇭🇷 @lukamodric10 #TheBest | #HalaMadrid pic.twitter.com/Jhk4ulAGKV
"Other players have to be recognised when they have a good year" - Luka Modric hopes more defenders and midfielders can win top player awards in the future pic.twitter.com/T6MK8Fo71z
— Goal (@goal) September 25, 2018
Congratulations poured in
Congratulations to Luka and Marta on winning the #TheBest awards tonight. It's been a privilege to see you both play this season. // Parabéns, @lukamodric10 e Marta, por vencerem o prêmio de Melhores Jogadores da FIFA. Foi um privilégio ver vocês dois jogarem nesta temporada. https://t.co/xJNS5AMh9b
— Pelé (@Pele) September 24, 2018
@lukamodric10 , čestitke na velikoj nagradi - zaslužio si to svojim znanjem, radom i ovogodišnjim uspjesima. Svaka čast!@lukamodric10 , congratulations for #TheBEST award - you earned it with your skill, effort and achievements this year. Proud of you! 🏆👏🏻🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/BLnMwngORL
— Mario Mandžukić MM17 (@MarioMandzukic9) September 24, 2018
Congratulations my friend! An unbelievable player and an unbelievable season @lukamodric10 👌🏼👌🏼👌🏼 pic.twitter.com/0lceC1wEaj
— Gareth Bale (@GarethBale11) September 24, 2018
Just #thebest! Nobody deserves this more than you! Our #captain 🇭🇷 pic.twitter.com/AFTHgwxrqi
— Mateo Kovačić (@Mateo_Kova23) September 24, 2018
Congratulations to our captain, @lukamodric10 on winning FIFA Player of the year ❤️🇭🇷 #budiponosan #Croatiafullofexcellentplayers #Croatia pic.twitter.com/4Oti0Trcj9
— Croatia Full of life (@Croatia_hr) September 24, 2018
Deserving player to end Messi-Ronaldo duopoly
For the first time since 2007, neither Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi has won the FIFA player of the year award.#LukaModric#TheBest
— Deji Faremi (@deejayfaremi) September 24, 2018
The first player to win the World Cup Golden Ball & the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year in the same year since Ronaldo in 1998.
— FourFourTweet (@FourFourTweet) September 24, 2018
In a decade dominated by Ronaldo and Messi, he’s won the UEFA Best Player award, the World Cup Golden Ball and the best FIFA Men's player award. pic.twitter.com/xHZr7uUSTC
📆 2013:
— Football Super Tips (@FootySuperTips) September 24, 2018
❌ @lukamodric10 Voted the worst signing in La Liga
📅 5 Years Later:
🏆 5x Team of the Year
🏆 4x #ChampionsLeague Winner
🇪🇸 #LaLiga Winner
🌟 #WorldCup Golden Ball.
🥈 World Cup Final
🏆 UEFA Player of the Year
⚽ #TheBest Men's POTY
WHAT A PLAYER! 👏👏👏 pic.twitter.com/vnCB6HaXIy
1 - Between the @ChampionsLeague 2017/18 and the 2018 @FIFAWorldCup, @lukamodric10 was the player with the most passes attempted (651) and completed (577) in knockout rounds. Decisive. #TheBest pic.twitter.com/RilWapGcaF
— OptaJose (@OptaJose) September 24, 2018
📆 2008 - Ronaldo
— 90min (@90min_Football) September 24, 2018
📆 2009 - Messi
📆 2010 - Messi
📆 2011 - Messi
📆 2012 - Messi
📆 2013 - Ronaldo
📆 2014 - Ronaldo
📆 2015 - Messi
📆 2016 - Ronaldo
📆 2017 - Ronaldo
Luka Modric becomes the first player in 11 years to be named "The Best" other than Messi or Ronaldo! 🇭🇷🏆 pic.twitter.com/gu6rGoQyuA
How @lukamodric10 beat Salah and Ronaldo to win #TheBest pic.twitter.com/xaLTaYMogM
— B/R Football (@brfootball) September 24, 2018
Real Madrid players have won ALL of the last 8 major Best Player awards:
— Real Madrid Stats (@RMadrid_Stats) September 25, 2018
2016
✅ Ballon d’Or: CR7
✅ UEFA POTY: CR7
✅ FIFA’s The Best: CR7
2017
✅ Ballon d’Or: CR7
✅ UEFA POTY: CR7
✅ FIFA’s The Best: CR7
2018
❓ Ballon d’Or
✅ UEFA POTY: Modric
✅ FIFA’s The Best: Modric pic.twitter.com/Wn0kd5GiqK
But Messi Ronaldo always dominate the spotlight!
📝 Who Lionel Messi & @Cristiano Ronaldo voted for at #TheBest Awards:
— SPORF (@Sporf) September 24, 2018
🇦🇷 Lionel Messi:
1️⃣ Luka Modric 🇭🇷
2️⃣ Kylian Mbappe 🇫🇷
3️⃣ Cristiano Ronaldo 🇵🇹
🇵🇹 Cristiano Ronaldo:
1️⃣ Raphael Varane 🇫🇷
2️⃣ Luka Modric 🇭🇷
3️⃣ Antoine Griezmann 🇫🇷
👀 pic.twitter.com/APcLCb6HLv
Just saw that Messi voted for Modric, Mbappe, and Ronaldo.
— Juan (@socraticjuan) September 24, 2018
It takes a certain type of character to vote for the best player of your rival club, your rival, and the 19 year old who eliminated you from the World Cup and idolizes your rival.
They never missed a gala before when they got the trophies and were in everyone’s eyes, but Messi and Ronaldo not attending today’s FIFA ceremony awards speaks worse for them than who deserves it more or less. Disgraceful #TheBestAwards #TheBest2018
— Joaco Cañas (@JoaquinCG3) September 24, 2018
How do you blame Ronaldo and Messi for not coming?
— Zoe Chinaka (@ZoeChinaka) September 24, 2018
How does a player who hardly featured in all the ucl games win #thebest for what his flukey remarkable missed penalties at the world cup?
I love Modric but that's not deserving but hey who am I? It's called God's favor!
Finally..
And not forgetting #TheBest @FIFPro World 11! David De Gea; Dani Alves, Marcelo, Sergio Ramos, Raphael Varane; Eden Hazard, N’Golo Kante, Luka Modric; Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi. 🤗✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨ pic.twitter.com/yDryz2r9Ho
— Fatma Samoura (@fatma_samoura) September 24, 2018
