CROATIAN SPORT – LUKA MODRIĆ

It was the night between 26 and 27 May 2018. A few hours earlier, Real Madrid won its 13th Champions League title in Kiev. Third time in a row, third time in a row in which the incredible Croatian playmaker kept the team's game under control. This was the fourth time Luka Modrić had won the Champions League with the Royal Club and he matched the number of titles won by Barcelona’s legends Lionel Messi, Xavier Hernández, Andrés Iniesta... The final against Liverpool, held in the Ukrainian capital, led Modrić to the 20th club trophy of his rich career, and he and other Real players gave themselves over to celebrating in the locker room. After an extremely demanding and successful season, it would be logical to turn one's thoughts to a celebration in Madrid followed by some well-earned rest. But, that night in Kiev, Modrić once again showed that he was special. "I'll be ready for the World Cup. I can't wait for the preparations for Russia to start. I don't feel tired, the season has indeed been long, but I'm not tired, that's what's most important. Of course I miss it, I’m missing a major title with the national team and I truly believe that we'll finally win it in Russia. This will be a special tournament for me, the first major competition with me leading Croatia as captain," Modrić told us, as his teammates were patiently waiting for him on the club bus. A few days after the Kiev final, he joined the national team and then went on to leave a permanent mark in the history of football in June and July. Second place in the world – only France was better. What he had missed, Modrić won in Russia. The judges made it clear: the Croatian captain was the best player of the 21st World Cup. On 24 September, fifteen days after he turned 33, FIFA named Modrić the World Player of the Year, according to the national team captains and managers, media representatives and fans. Since 2008, Ronaldo and Messi had been the only ones to win best player awards. However, the Croatian number Ten has now put a stop to the dominance of these Portuguese and Argentine football wizards, after ten years. This was the icing on the cake for his career, after humble beginnings in his hometown of Zadar, his refugee days, his move to Dinamo Zagreb and development at Zrinjski Mostar and Inter Zaprešić, followed by acclaim at top international level for Tottenham and Real Madrid. In late August, Modrić won the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award, and his crowning achievement of 2018, which was a fantastic year for him, culminating in the award that he was presented on 3 December. On that day in Paris, Modrić received the Golden Ball, the traditional Ballon d’Or, which marked the 63rd time that the best player in the world was given this award by France Football. Before Modrić, no other player has ever been pronounced the best player of the World Cup and awarded all FIFA, UEFA and France Football trophies in the same year. With his 2018 award collection, Modrić made history. "Congratulations to Modrić, it has been a privilege to watch him in 2018." When Pelé, one of the greatest players of all time, has that to say, nothing else needs to be added. Modrić’s mastery on the football field has also earned him a nomination for the 2018 Sportsperson of the Year Award, presented by the Laureus sports academy. The nominees include Novak Đoković (tennis), Lewis Hamilton (Formula 1), LeBron James (basketball), Eliud Kipchoge (athletics), Kylian Mbappé (football) and – Luka Modrić! A select company with world’s best footballer at its forefront. Damir Dobrinić, journalist/editor at Sportske novosti