Luka Modric Wins 2018 Ballon d’Or Award, Ends Messi & Ronaldo’s 10-year Rule

Luka Modric Wins 2018 Ballon d’Or Award, Ends Messi & Ronaldo’s 10-year Rule

Luka Modric has won the Ballon d’Or award for the first time to end the 10-year stranglehold of five-time winners Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Modric helped Real Madrid win a third successive Champions League title in May and captained Croatia to their first World Cup final, being named player of the tournament despite his side losing 4-2 to France.

“As a kid we all have dreams. My dream was to play for a big club and win important trophies,” Modric, who is the first Croatian to win the prestigious award in its 62-year existence, said.

“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.”

The award, voted for by journalists and organised by French magazine France Football, has been dominated by Messi and Ronaldo since 2008.

Ronaldo was second in the voting followed by France forward Antoine Griezmann, his national teammate Kylian Mbappe was fourth while Messi was fifth – the first time he has been outside the top three since 2007.

Liverpool’s Egypt forward Mohamed Salah was sixth, Real Madrid’s Frenchman Raphale Varane was the highest-placed defender in seventh while Premier League trio Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne and Harry Kane rounded out the top 10.

The last player to win the Ballon d’Or before Ronaldo and Messi was Brazil midfielder Kaka with AC Milan in 2007.

Modric dislodged Ronaldo as the FIFA world player of the year in September.

The 19-year-old Mbappe – the youngest player to score in a World Cup final – won the inaugural Kopa Trophy awarded to the best young player.

Norwegian forward Ada Hegerberg won the inaugural women’s Ballon d’Or with Matildas star Sam Kerr fifth in the voting.

Hegerberg is a three-time Women’s Champions League winner with French side Lyon and scored a tournament-record 15 times last season.

“I want to say thanks to France Football. It’s a huge step for women’s football,” Hegerberg said.

“I want to end this speech with a message to all young girls in the world; Believe in yourselves.” France Football magazine has been awarding the Ballon d’Or since 1956, and created a women’s award for the first time this year.

MEN’S B’ALLON D’OR LEADERBOARD

1 Luka Modric

2 Cristiano Ronaldo

3 Antoine Griezmann

4 Kylian Mbappe

5 Lionel Messi

6 Mohamed Salah

7 Raphael Varane

8 Edin Hazard

9 Kevin De Bruyne

10 Harry Kane

11 N’Golo Kante

12 Neymar

13 Luis Suárez

14 Thibaut Courtois

15 Paul Pogba

16 Sergio Agüero

=17 Karim Benzema, Gareth Bale

=19 Roberto Firmino, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Ramos

=22 Marcelo, Edinson Cavani, Sadio Mane

=25 Alisson, Jan Oblak, Mario Mandzukic

28 Diego Godín

=29 Isco, Hugo Lloris.

WOMEN’S BALLON D’OR LEADERBOARD

1. Ada Hegerberg

2. Pernille Harder

3. Dzsenifer Maroszan

4. Marta

5. Sam Kerr

6. Lucy Bronze

7. Amandine Henry

8. Wendie Renard

9. Megan Rapinoe

10. Lindsay Horan

11. Lieke Martens

12. Saki Kumagai

13. Amel Majri

14. Fran Kirby

15. Christine Sinclair