Croatia International, Luka Modric, ended Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi’s 10 years duopoly on the award by clinching it yesterday. The Real Madrid midfielder was rewarded for having a stellar year having led the Los Blancos to a record three consecutive champions league title last season.
He also led his national team, Croatia, to a first final appearance at the just concluded FIFA World cup tournament where they lost to France.
The diminutive midfielder revealed today while fielding questions from journalists after landing n Spain how his former coach, Zinedine Zidane, inspired him to clinch the award.
What he said:
“I’ll never forget when Zizou became Real Madrid’s manager in 2016, he called me in & told me what he expected from me, above all he saw me as a player who could win the Balón d’Or. When someone like Zidane tells you this, your morale goes up the roof.”