Luka Modric has won FIFA’s The Best award for 2018 on Monday night. With 29.05% of the votes, the Croatian has significantly outperformed the other two finalists Cristiano Ronaldo (19.08 percent) and Mohamed Salah (11.23 percent).
The 33-year-old Real Madrid midfielder becomes the first Croatian player to win the award after a superior year for the club and country.
Ronaldo and Lionel Messi were not at the Best Gala. Both players certainly knew that they would not win the prize for the best player. A title actually awarded to Modric who achieves the double.
“This award is not just mine. It is my team-mates’ from Real Madrid and Croatia. Without my coaches, I would not have won this and without my family I would not be the player I am today,” Modric said.
Already voted best UEFA player, Modric also wins the FIFA trophy. The winner of the Champions League and finalist of the 2018 World Cup, in competition with CR7 and Mohamed Salah, is offering a deserved reward for his superb season.
While former Madrid superstar Ronaldo was predicting victory, for his acrobatic action against Juventus, it was Salah who secured the trophy. The Liverpool striker was rewarded for his goal against Everton on December 10, 2017: a solo action right side concluded by a superb shot in the skylight.
Ronaldo netted 44 goals in all competitions in his final season for Los Blancos, while Salah scored the same amount for the Reds in 52 games.
France coach Didier Deschamps wins men’s coach of the year after France World Cup glory in July. (Source:www.france24.com)
On the other hand Thibaut Courtois, he was voted the best goalkeeper. The Real Madrid goalkeeper helped Belgium to the semifinals of the 2018 World Cup before losing to eventual champs France.
In the same place, Didier Deschamps won men’s coach of the year after France World Cup glory with a 4-2 triumph over Croatia in the July.
France coach faced stiff competition from former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane, who guided the defending champion to their third consecutive Champions League trophy before leaving his job in the summer.
The 49-year-old Frenchman also beat Croatian coach Zlatko Dalic, who took his nation to their first World Cup final after just nine months in the role.
