PARIS, Dec. 3 -- Midfielder Luka Modric playing for Real Madrid opened a new chapter in the Ballon d'Or (Golden Ball) history as he became the first Croatian to claim the best player award here on Monday.
The 33-year-old Modric received his trophy during a ceremony held in the iconic Grand Palace in the French capital.
"It feels amazing. I'm proud to win this beautiful award. It's difficult to express my emotions by words. It's something unique for me," admitted Modric.
It was the latest recognition for his achievement and contribution throughout the year, following the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award and the Best FIFA Men's Player.
Modric ended the past decade dominated by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the award, as the two superstars claimed it five times apiece. The Croatian had also terminated Ronaldo and Messi's 10-year duopoly in the FIFA award in September.
Modric beat Ronaldo, Frenchman Antoine Griezmann and another France World Cup winning member Kylian Mbappe in the vote. Messi finished fifth.
Prior to Modric's honor on Monday, Brazil's Kaka was the last one to have won the award in 2007 before Ronaldo and Messi's supremacy loomed.
Modric spearheaded Croatia into the World Cup final for the first time in history in Russia, winning the tournament's Golden Ball himself.
On club side, the playmaker won the third straight UEFA Champions League title with Real Madrid, their fourth in the past five years.
For Modric, the year of 2018 is "a really very special year".
"Winning the Champions League for the third straight time. To play the World Cup final for Croatia as a captain. Some amazing individual awards, and to finish with this (the Ballon d'Or).
"It's difficult to choose one. All these moments are really important. I don't want to choose tonight. I just want to enjoy," he added.
French teenage sensation Mbappe improved his ranking from seventh a year earlier to fourth for his role in France's triumphant World Cup journey and glittering performance in Paris Saint-Germain. His club teammate Neymar, currently the world's most expensive player, finished 12th.
Mbappe, who will turn 20 later this month, unsurprisingly bagged the newly-established Kopa Trophy representing the best U-21 player.
Women's Ballon d'Or, also inaugurated this year, went to Norwegian Ada Hegerberg who is playing in the French club Olympique Lyonnais.
Founded in 1956 by France Football magazine, Ballon d'Or honors the player with the best performance over the year based on voting by football journalists. It was merged with FIFA World Player of the Year into FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010, before the two awards were separated in 2016.
英语六级晨读美文100篇:One Way to Become an Artist(48)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Book and Life(49)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:A Divided House Cannot Stand(28)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:What Is Immortal(19)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:The Road to Happiness(42)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Props to Help Man Endure (I)(17)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:A Woman’s Tears(33)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Washington’s Address(57)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Why We Live with Such Hurry(32)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Of Media(24)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Rain of Seattle II(40)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:The 50 % Theory of Life(41)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Declaration of Independence (5)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:How to Be Ture to Yourself(25)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Props to Help Man Endure (II)(18)
CET6考试听力必备技巧
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Disrupting My Comfort Zone(47)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Kindness of Strangers(66)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:When Heaven & Earth Kiss(46)
听力中议论文材料的特点、常见考点及解题思路
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Choose Optimism(31)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Never Too Late to Change(61)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Life Lessons(37)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Night(12)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:The Blue Days(30)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Napoleon to Josephine(45)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Five Balls of Life(26)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Sorrow of the Millionaire(51)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Three Passions I Have Lived for(3)
英语六级晨读美文100篇:Self
不限 |
英语教案 |
英语课件 |
英语试题 |
不限 |
不限 |
上册 |
下册 |
不限 |