Croatia captain and Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric has won the 2018 Ballon D’Or award.
The 33-year-old saw off competition from Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo, who came a distant second, and France striker, Antoine Griezmann, who came third.
To win the prestigious award, Modric helped Real Madrid retain its UEFA Champions League trophy and Croatia to the 2018 FIFA World Cup final, where he was adjudged the Most Valuable Player.
The win makes it the first time in ten years that another player not Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi would be taking home the coveted award. The last player before the 10-year duopoly was Brazil’s Kaka in 2007.
Reacting to the win, Modric said, “As a kid we 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 .”
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