The Best FIFA Awards 2018: Luka Modrić Named Best Player in the World

by croatiaweek
September 24, 2018
in Sport

Luka Modrić winner of The Best Award for Player of the Year (FIFA)

Croatia captain Luka Modrić has capped off an amazing year by winning The Best FIFA Men’s Player for 2018 at a ceremony in London on Monday night.

Modrić beat finalists Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah to win the prestigious award for the first time.

After being named UEFA Player of the Year last month, Modrić was the favourite to win the award after an outstanding year which saw him help Real Madrid to win the Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup and also captain Croatia to their first ever FIFA World Cup final.

Modrić was also named in the Fifa Fifpro World XI.

Luka Modrić and family at the awards in London (FIFA/The Best)

“It is a great honour and feeling to stand here with this trophy. This trophy is not just mine but for all my teammates from Real Madrid, my Croatia national teammates, my coaches and my family. They are my The Best. Thanks to my fans all over the world. I would like to also thank those who voted for more. I also want to thank my idol, member of the Croatia 1998 team Zvonimir Boban who gave us inspiration that we could great things in Russia,” Modrić said before saying a few words in Spanish and in Croatian.

The moment 🇭🇷@lukamodric10 was named #TheBest 🙌#Modric #TheBest #FIFAFootballAwards pic.twitter.com/1Dg2evjQI0

— #TheBest (@FIFAcom) September 24, 2018

(FIFA)

Les larmes de Zvonimir Boban (ancien capitaine Croate), après le discours de Modric :”C’était mon idole et mon inspiration”#TheBestEnMega pic.twitter.com/7zeTLUnbph

— Skyler (@SkylerFootNews) September 24, 2018

The Croatian also won the Golden Ball for the player of the tournament in Russia and Midfielder of the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League Season award beating Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City) and Toni Kroos (Real Madrid).

Modrić becomes the first player ever to win the World Cup Golden Ball, UEFA Player of the Year and FIFA Player of the Year in the same year.

“It is a dream come true, to play for the best club in the world and to win trophies with them and also to be captain of Croatia, that is special to me,” Modrić said after winning the earlier award.

Luka Modric wins the Golden Ball in Russia (HNS)

The trophy which Modrić received in London has a Croatian connection with it being designed by Zagreb artist Ana Barbić Katičić. Ana was approached to design the trophy by another Croatian, Zvonimir Boban, who is at FIFA.

“At the start of September in 2016 Zvone (Boban) called me and told me the idea. 15 minutes later I was sitting down doing my first sketches because that is how it goes when you work with Boban. When he has an idea, he wants you to start right away,” Ana said earlier.

Meanwhile, Didier Deschamps won Men’s Coach of the Year ahead of Croatia’s Zlatko Dalić and Zinedine Zidane.