Modric Wins World Player of Year, Ends Ronaldo-Messi Duology
LONDON (Dispatches) — Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were far from the auditorium by the River Thames when Luka Modric broke their decade-long grip on FIFA's award for the world's best player.
Football's biggest individual accolade was handed to the 33-year-old playmaker on Monday night in recognition of a year when he led Croatia to its first World Cup final and won a fourth Champions League title in five seasons with Real Madrid.
"It is very important, because for such a small country to win the best player award, it's something amazing and that shows other small countries that everything is possible," Modric said. "You just need to believe and to work for it. And that all dreams could come true."
It required voters to be more imaginative and not just make the predictable picks of Ronaldo and Messi, who split the previous 10 awards. Messi voted for Modric, while Ronaldo and Modric each voted for Real Madrid's Raphael Varane.
Salah didn't leave empty-handed, earning the Puskas Award for his goal in the Merseyside derby last December. Salah's goal in Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Everton was a mixture of strength and footwork. Receiving a pass from right back Joe Gomez, Salah shrugged off Cuca Martina, twisted inside Idrissa Gueye and curled a left-footed shot around Ashley Williams and into the top corner.
********Croatia's Luka Modric celebrates with teammates at the end of the 2018 World Cup Group D match between Argentina and Croatia at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Russia, June 21, 2018.
Football's biggest individual accolade was handed to the 33-year-old playmaker on Monday night in recognition of a year when he led Croatia to its first World Cup final and won a fourth Champions League title in five seasons with Real Madrid.
"It is very important, because for such a small country to win the best player award, it's something amazing and that shows other small countries that everything is possible," Modric said. "You just need to believe and to work for it. And that all dreams could come true."
It required voters to be more imaginative and not just make the predictable picks of Ronaldo and Messi, who split the previous 10 awards. Messi voted for Modric, while Ronaldo and Modric each voted for Real Madrid's Raphael Varane.
Salah didn't leave empty-handed, earning the Puskas Award for his goal in the Merseyside derby last December. Salah's goal in Liverpool's 1-1 draw against Everton was a mixture of strength and footwork. Receiving a pass from right back Joe Gomez, Salah shrugged off Cuca Martina, twisted inside Idrissa Gueye and curled a left-footed shot around Ashley Williams and into the top corner.
********Croatia's Luka Modric celebrates with teammates at the end of the 2018 World Cup Group D match between Argentina and Croatia at Nizhny Novgorod Stadium in Russia, June 21, 2018.