Luka Modric
2018 FIFA player of the year and Ballon d’Or winner Luka Modric has taken a swipe at Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for their decision to snub the award ceremony.
Modric won both prestigious awards to put an end to the duopoly ofBoth men who have dominated the podium by taken the accolades home title five times each.
However, Ronaldo and Messi decided not to attend the ceremonywhich did not go well with the lovers of the game worldwide.
While speaking to Croatian Daily sports paper Sportske Novost, The 2018 Russia World Cup Most Valuable Player said the awards only matters to both players when they win.
“I cannot say why someone did not attend – that’s their choice. “That is logical, is it not?
“It turns out these choices and trophies only have value when they get them.
“It is not fair to their playing colleagues or to the voters who have nominated them for the past 10 years – nor for football or supporters.
“But I repeat, everyone behaves the way they think they need to.”
Modric was happy to fulfil his dream of winning the awards and quickly stressed that prizes such as the Ballon d’Or are awardedafter voting and not by individual quality.
“Here we are talking about seasonal performance, and it probably means that all the coaches, players, football legends and journalists have voted the same.
“If we vote on the quality of the player, then the only thing left is to distribute all the trophies for Messi and Ronaldo as long as they are actively playing and to abandon any vote.” he concluded.
Though most of the attention will go to Croatian star Luka Modric, who won the Ballon d’Or award for the first time, breaking up a stranglehold that Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi have held on the prestigious trophy for the last 10 years, the real breakthrough came from Norway’s Ada Hegerberg.
Luka Modric Wins Ballon d’Or, Ending Decade of Ronaldo and Messi Dominance
For the first time in over a decade, somebody other than Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi, Luka Modric is the world’s best footballer.
Can Luka Modric end Ronaldo and Messi’s 10-year Ballon d’Or dominance?
The winner of the 2018 Ballon d’Or will be revealed at a glittering ceremony in Paris on Monday evening, with Croatia’s Luka Modric and a host of French World Cup winners all hoping to finally end the 10-year duopoly of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
The Ballon d’Or award ceremony is scheduled for Monday evening in Paris. A 30-man shortlist has been drawn up for the prize based on performances in 2018, according to Marca.
Ballon d’Or 2018 – How to watch live, Players shortlist & Event Time
The 2018 Ballon d’Or award for the world’s best male footballer will be presented tonight and for the first time in more than ten years, the winner could be someone other than Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi.
Luka Modric was tormentor-in-chief when Nigeria and Croatia clashed in their opening group D match at the World Cup, and the Croat’s spot kick in the 2-0 win has been voted the most popular memory among four spectacular moments in Kaliningrad at the tournament.
Former Super Eagles defender Ifeanyi Udeze has expressed satisfaction with the just concluded FIFA Best Awards that took place in London on Monday Night.
Speaking via Brila FM on Tuesday Morning, the former West Bromwich Albion left-back hailed the choice of Croatian Captain Luka Modric calling it ‘perfect’ for football.
“For the past 10 years, it’s been just two players winning the prestigious award, I think this is good for football”
“10 good years, It’s high time someone else won it and for the good of the game, Modric got it.
“Every other players are Footballers, they are not Volleyballers or Basketballers”
Modric, who was the best player at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia has earlier been named the UEFA’s best player of the year.
Luka Modric has been named the Best Men’s Player at The Best FIFA Football Awards on Monday evening, fighting off competition from fellow nominees Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.
The award caps off an incredible year for Modric, who won his fourth Champions League title with Real Madrid in May, before leading his country to a World Cup final in July and being crowned UEFA Men’s Player of the Year last month.
The only Nigerian journalist who participated in the vote, Christian Okpara voted for Cristiano Ronaldo, Super Eagles Manager Gernot Rohr went for Luka Modric and captain Obi Mikel voted for Lionel Messi.
And Modric, who was linked with a move to Inter during the transfer window, added another individual honour at FIFA’s Best Awards on Monday.
Puskas Award
Mohamed Salah
Men’s Coach of the Year
Didier Deschamps
Women’s Coach of the Year
Reynald Pedros
Goalkeeper of the Year
Thibaut Courtois
Women’s Player of the Year
Marta
Men’s Player of the Year
Luka Modric