(COLOMBO, LANKAPUVATH) –Luka Modric has been named the Fifa men’s footballer of the year at a ceremony in London, with Brazil’s Marta crowned the world’s best female player.
The 33-year-old Modric won the Champions League for the third time in a row with his club, Real Madrid, in May before leading Croatia to the 2018 World Cup final, where they lost 4-2 to France. He is the first player other than Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi to win the Fifa award since Kaká in 2007.
“It’s a great honour and a beautiful feeling to stand here with this amazing trophy,” Modric said.
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“This trophy is not just mine, it’s for all my Real Madrid team-mates, for all my team-mates from the Croatia national team, for all the coaches that I have played for,” he added. “Without them this would not be possible and thank you a lot to them. This trophy is also for my family, without whom I would not be the player and person that I am.”
Modric won the award, officially called The Best Fifa Men’s Player, ahead of his former Real Madrid teammate Ronaldo, with the Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah third. France’s Kylian Mbappé finished fourth with Lionel Messi in fifth place. The Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane finished 10th in the vote.
