Croatia and Real Madrid midfielder, Luka Modric won the 2018 Balloon d’Or last night and ended a decade reign of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. In the last decade, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have dominated this award that the award could be renamed “Lionaldo Award”
Lionel Messi won the award from 2009 to 2012 and in 2015. Cristiano Ronaldo won the award in 2008, 2013, 2014 and 2017.
Modric, 33, helped Croatia reach their first World Cup final in Russia after he won his third successive UEFA champions league title with Real Madrid.
This is Modric’s golden year as he was named the world’s male best player at the best FIFA Football Award for the best player at the World Cup.
Ronaldo, who left Real Madrid after their third consecutive title to Juventus came second.
Antoine Griezmann of France and Atletico Madrid, who was part of the World Conquerors in Russia, came third. His national teammate and P.S.G. Forward Kylian Mbappe came fourth.
Lionel Messi of Argentina and Barcelona came fifth.
Luka Modric’s victory is more than an award but the beginning of the end of an era, which was dominated by Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
While both players will continue to play well and score great goals it is unlikely that they will come back to dominate the annual football awards.
Younger players like Antoine Griezmann, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Junior and a host of others jostling to dominate world football.
All hail Modric.