Luka Modrić made it a clean sweep of awards in 2018 to cap off the most amazing year in Croatian sports history. The midfield maestro beat out Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi for the Ballon d’Or – something that hasn’t happened since Kaka won the prestigious Player of the Year award in 2007.
So what kind of year did Modrić have in 2018?
-Champions League winner with Real Madrid
-2nd place at the World Cup with Croatia
-World Cup Golden Ball Winner
-UEFA Player of the Year
-FIFA Player of the Year
-Ballon d’Or Winner
This list will surely never be broken.
Well judging by his first name, he is probably half Serbian.
Judging by his last name, he’s Hungarian.
My guess is his family is probably from the Vojvodina region.
He probably has no ties to Croatia (other than maybe being born there) but guys like Mihajlović and many war criminals have proven that this means nothing.
I remember when Holiga was here and he refused to answer what his ethnic back ground was.
@ Maminjo
Bang on assessment of Holiga and where his Hrvati hating articles come from.
Trying “to satisfy his inferiority complex ..”
Brilliant !!
Oh yea, I forgot about that Holiga dude haha.
I guess it’s not popular anymore to write bad things about the evil Neo-Nazi Croats after they’ve captured the World’s hearts at the World Cup.
Oh well, he’ll probably wait a couple years till the popularity dies down and write some more mad articles to satisfy his inferiority complex of being a fat, short, ugly non-Croat living in Croatia. Dude should just move to England if he thinks it will make him happy…until he gets robbed lol.
Holiga can suck it.. ahole of the year award for sure
Poglavnik .. ok I usually go by Tone…
I think it’s time for holiga to use this moment for modric to put out another piece on how modric divides Croatia
@Anon
Get yourself a consistent handle and I’ll indulge. Too many anonoymous”s on here I don’t want to converse with.
ante kvartuch 1 year ago: “WALK OFF THE FIELD AGAINST UKRAINE! STICK IT TO SUKER AND MAMIC! WHO CARES IF WE DONT QUALIFY FOR THE WC!’
also kvartuch and many others:
“MODRIC IS A CRIMINAL LOCK HIM UP!!”
@Barca fan
Don’t you put that evil on me Ricky Bobby! Don’t you put that evil on us!
Griezman is an asshole, but to give him some credit..he did show up to the awards unlike Penaldo and slimey Messi
& Anon – The first player to break the Ronaldo/Messi domination was sure to be criticized. Disappointing to see the posts on social media against Modric.
He won at least 4 awards this year.
The players, coaches and media from around the World couldn’t possibly have gotten it wrong each time.
I’m quite sure they have been a closer part of the games this year than you have.
@Bobby V
“Ridiculous”? I beg to differ.
Would you say Modric’s 44 games were better than Messi’s 48 games this past season? I say NO, you have to answer YES if you believe team results have no bearing in who gets given this award, which should be the case if it’s an individual award, and Modric is not a better individual than Messi, but his teams were deemed to have had better seasons than Messi’s and Ronaldo’s.
Let me tell ya what happened, Croatia made a WC final thanks to difference maker Ante Rebic, Real won UCL. So Modric fared better than Ronaldo this past season, Modric wins award, simple.
Varane is a defender, defenders don’t fare well in these awards, simple as that.
Greece won a Euro lol, you know how many games they had to play to win that? 6 games, 6, and besides that what did any Greek player do? Win a Greek league title lol.
…and this argument about Varane being part of both Champions league and World Cup winners is ridiculous.
This is an individual award, not a team award.
Using the logic that the player should be from the biggest crowned national side of that particular year, a Greek player should have won in 2004.
Griezmann is an asshole. The only award he deserves is for best dive in a World Cup final.
Poglavnik .. what part of van did u grow up? trying to figure out your true identity (as u might not be the real Poglavnik) without outing u..am from van too
@ barca
i think you misunderstood my point and simply echoed it instead
what i’m saying is I have long watched Modric and appreciated what a great player he was
I have not let fluke results make me go off the deep end saying he can’t lead, he’s not a great player, he plays better for club than country etc etc
After a fluke goal by finland to cause Croatia into World cup qualifying troubles, I did not call for an NT boycott or national team walkout
It’s not my style, to be fickle and fooled by short term randomness
it is, the tendency of people on this site.
So what I’m saying is modric was just as good whether not croatia won those two coin toss penalties against denmark.
but b/c we won them, the people on this site got to see croatia go on a lucky to the final and as result now finally appreciate modric. and the media loves a narrative so they’ve jumped on it as well
i always knew he was good. i always appreciated. i was able to see the big picture. and i didn’t need some corrupt fifa body to tell me it was so
Messi last season in La liga, 36 games and 34 goals. See above for Modric’s stats in 26 games in La liga.
Modric 11 games in UCL, Messi 8 games.
WC Modric 7 games, Messi 4 games.
48 games total for Messi
44 games total for Modric
Anyone wanna say that Modric’s 44 games were of a higher quality than Messi’s 48 games?
So Modric was rested in the La liga (which was won after 5 rounds for Barca) being kept fresh for the UCL which was the only front Real was fighting on after being knocked out in the QF’s of the Copa del Rey to Leganes, Ronaldo didn’t play against Leganes at all, Modric came on as a sub in the first leg, they were even using the Copa del Rey to rest for UCL.
Point is, it’s thanks to Barca for putting Real in their place early on in La liga that Real could focus on the UCL by resting players in the league and Copa del Rey.
I think I have shown that these awards are given to a player whose teams were deemed to have the best results this past season, Croatia went better than Portugal at the WC, it’s as simple as that.
That leaves one question, what about Varane the WC and UCL winner?
The good thing about Modric winning though is that you Croats needed that to become proud Croats.
Dinner and drinks if I’m ever in San Pedro or if you’re in Vancouver.
@The truth
Let’s say we lost that “coin toss” penalty shoot-out to Iggy’s Denmark, do you believe Modric still wins the Balon d’Or? I say NO, nothing to do with his full body of work (1 goal 6 assists in the league) and everything to do with getting to the WC final.
If it was to do with his full body of work this past season and not getting to the WC final, then why hasn’t he won this award before now, Real have won 3 CL titles in a row with Modric performing at the same level all those 3 seasons?
“Glad it took Brussels telling you he was good for you to come around.”
It was Brussels that realised he was good when he played in a WC final, they needed Modric to play 4 more games in a WC instead of only the 3 that he’s usually played in the group stage.
So it was 4 games that won Modric this award not his full body of work, a full body of work that includes no League title for Real, and the NT’s coach getting sacked during qualifying.
@ Pogalvnik,
Friendly wager?
Dejan, I wasn’t aware the Spanish charges were dropped, look out Euro 2020. Luka has been playing with a heavy burden on his back for awhile between the Spanish and Croatian charges. Now the true Luka will arrive in time for Euros, if true that the Spanish charges are dropped.
If it doesnt happen again within the next 4 or 5 WC’s I’d be surprised.
“EVO NOCHE”? Da heck?
I meant Criminals and Ronaldo.
Modric dudnt oay Tax in Spain same goes for Ronakdo and Messi they are all crimunals but I still and gave alwayssupported Gospodin Modric LUKITA.
I PLAY EVO NOCHE EVO DANA ONCE A WEEK. THANK YOU.
Nizic, Hrvati su 100% Hrvati wherever they leave. Hercegovci are definitely some of the best badass Hrvati warriors ever.
You guys are all biters, when Luka wins ballon your all proud Croats but I’ve seen all your comments about him leading up to balon and they weren’t nice . What a joke but from day 1 I will say without hercegovci there is no dom.
Za Dom spremni
=U=
Robi za nikoga
Shame on all of you. I had stood by modric through it all. Whereas half site wanted him charged for perjury, wanted him thrown in jail for protecting mamic, wanted to remove his captains armband cause he wasn’t a leader and gave more for club, wanted to have the players boycott the Ukraine game rather than watch a modric lead team
Croatia ends up winning two penalty kick coin tosses vs Denmark and Russia in the summer to get Croatia in the world cup final and now you finally appreciate him. Shame
If Croatia lost to Denmark in pks, all you guys would talk about is how modric is not a leader and a choke artist because you let your psyche be too effected by random short term events rather than watching the process and full body of work
That’s why i always supported modric and most of you did not. Glad it took Brussels telling you he was good for you to come around
Luka deserves it and more. Congratulations
Well deserved. Dude’s works his ass off and stays humble. Really proud of him and how he represents our country.
@ Poglavnik,
I just don’t see it. You need a perfect World Cup and win the Golden Ball.
Then you need a perfect Champions League. On top of that, it can only be done once every four years.
@ Poglavnik
Messi, in that World Cup year was far from matching Modric’s achievements in 2018.
-The 2014 Fifa Balon D’Or was won by Ronaldo.
-And the Uefa men’s POTY award was also won by Ronaldo.
Modric’s success is even more difficult to achieve since the Balon D’Or and Best FIFA men’s player are now two separate awards. When Ronaldo won it in 2014, it was one award.
To put this in context, it took 24 years for someone
(Modric in this case) to repeat Romario’s WC golden ball and Best FIFA player.
The fact that now the awards are divided up. There are 3 main player awards, and one prestigious tournament award. This clean sweep will unlikely–if ever–be repeated. Maybe it will take decades if at all….
Everything I said about Luka was out of sexual frustration. I just wish I could toss a Serbian mans salad right about now.
volim piti volim piti!
great honour. let’s celebrate.
@Ante
“This list will surely never be broken.”
Really?
Last WC year Messi almost did just that.
If u win a CL and go to a WC final the dominoes will fall. Some of these awards are new too.
Great to see Luka claim that top prize though!
Truth Troll as always has to find a way to chime in with shitting on our good moments.
What a great player, and so humble! Let’s get that Euro 2020 trophy!!!
modric was 10 fucking times the player than ronaldo was in the champions league final.
to say ronaldo was invisible would be a compliment. he should have scored at least twice.
LUKA !!!!
^^^^Lol,you must have been up all night long trying to come up with the words to just be clever enough to be an idiot in what you are saying and trying to be a provocateur with.Nice schtick you have there.Keep it up,one day you will get good at it.Lol!
These awards are like that mvo award in the nba. The media mainly wants a story and they were just waiting for someone to give them one so they didn’t have to vote messi and Ronaldo again and Croatias world cup run gave them just enough opening.
Was luka the best player in the world last year? No way. But I’ve always said Croatians should feel fortunate to have gotten to watch him play for them and always thought his character was solid despite the mamic noise that some wanted to hate him for. He didn’t need to play for Croatia but you could always see how much it meant to him to do so
Great job but couldn’t capture the real trophy as World Cup champion. I know Luka would have replaced all those individual accolades for the ultimate team award.
Great job but couldn’t capture the real trophy World Cup champion.
Modric did what no other football player did in history!!!!
He swept all the awards in one season: WC Golden Ball, UEFA player of the Year, Best FIFA men’s player, and the Balon D’Or. Truly remarkable, and a proud day to be a Hrvat!
The fact that he beat out Ronaldo and Messi, arguably the two best players in the game speaks volumes.
Yep, Modric will go down in history as one of Football’s all time greats.
@ Toronto Croatia
I think there’s a kid in a Selo somewhere kicking the ball around in some cow pasture, who will be inspired by Luka’s achievement and go on to greatness…..
Maybe not dethrone Modric, because Luka will always have his place in the pantheon of football gods (and as the first Hrvat to do it), but certainly equal his level.
Bravo majstore……kralj!!!
Bravo Legenda!!
beyond humble.
love that maestro.
Modric = Legend
Where is Ziva the loser now. This award must really bug him along with the success of the team at the WC. 🙂
Bravo Luka,
A great day for our beautiful country.
I’m very thankful for what Luka has done for our national team, a true captain and Croatian hero.
March on Brussels this Saturday.
While the Frence are literally fighting in the streets for their Country and Culture from Rothschild’s puppet Macron, 3rd world immigration and NWO globalism our little Luka wins the biggest individual award in Football. Good Monday. WWG1WGA!!!
those French fucks bet us when it mattered……
none the less MALO NAS JE AL NAS IMA
From “bust” to Ballon d’Or.
From Zadar to the Zenith of World Football.
Beyond belief that we could eclipse ‘98 and Luka Modrić could eclipse the likes of Žuti, Boban and Boksic.
Curious how this inspires the Brekalo’s of the world?
Bog i Hrvati.
Bravo Luka. Well deserved. Proud to be Croatian.
We’re all lucky to be living at this moment to see the greatest Croatian soccer player in the world play. Who knows if or when another Croat will dethrone him.
And charges were dropped against him
What a year for Luka
i might cry.
this thing is torture ———– jebote.
i still think we wuz fucking robbed.
and i ain’t no conspiracy guy.
Stick it to those French fucks!
Right in Paris too.
Marca has reported that Modric is the winner.
Live this aft on BEIN Sports, btw.
FIFA AWARD IS SEPARATED FROM BALON DOR NOW IT USED TO BE TOGETHER.BALON DOR IS THE BEST ONE ITS GOLDEN NOT LIKE THE OTHER AWARDS. USUALLY IF YOU WIN THE FIFA AWARD YOU WIN THE BALON DOR AWARD ONLY A FEW TIMES IT HAS BEEN DIFFERENT WINNERS.
Wtf, how many awards are there?? He won uefa player of the year, and didn’t he already win fifa??? I’m confused
From “bust” to Balon d’Or ..
Maybe if he wins he will be considered good enough to play for Hajduk?
I figured it would be fitting to repost this 20 min Modric documentary: https://youtu.be/H_0mUjfAGaM