For his outstanding performance in the 2017/2018 season, Luka Modric has been rewarded with the FIFA’s Best Footballer of the Year.
The Croatian footballer beat Mohamed Salah and an absent Cristiano Ronaldo to the top prize. The prestigious award ceremony took place in London.
Ronaldo had won the award for two consecutive times in the last two years, but Modric’s exceptional 2017/18 season was considered to have surpassed the Portuguese’s star.
Luka Modric led his team to their first World Cup in Russia after winning his third Champions League trophy with Real Madrid in May. The 33-year-old Croatian was awarded the Golden Ball for his outstanding individual performance in the 2018 World Cup.
Modric dedicated his award to his Croatian and Madrid teammates.
He took to the stage to make his speech:
“It’s a great honour and beautiful feeling to stand here with this trophy, I would like to give congratulations to Mohamed and Cristiano for the great season that they had. I am sure in the future you will have another opportunity to fight for this.
READ ALSO: Stoke City striker Saido Berahino accused by three women of fathering their children
This trophy is not just mine. It is for my Real Madrid team-mates, the Croatia national team and all my coaches. This is also for my family, without who I would not be the player I am.”
This win showed a change and shift from Ronaldo & Lionel Messi. The votes were done by the national team coaches, select members of the media, Captains and an online vote.
The FIFA’s team of the year, the Fifpro World XI were won by the following exceptional players, David de Gea, Dani Alves, Raphael Varane, Sergio Ramos, Marcelo, Modric, N’Golo Kante, Eden Hazard, Kylian Mbappe, and Ronaldo.
A consolation prize was handed to Salah for his record-breaking season with Liverpool. Salah won the FIFA Puskas award for his goal in the Merseyside derby.
Thibaut Courtois won the Best Goalkeeper while, Marta, the Brazilian and Orlando Pride player was awarded the Best Women’s Player of the year.
