Recently, the Croatian midfielder received the award for best player in the Champions League and is considered by FIFA as the best soccer player of the 2018 World Cup

Luka Modric celebrates a year round. He won the Champions League with Real Madrid, reached the final of the World Cup in Russia with Croatia and now received the award for best player in the UEFA. The Croatian reached the highest point of his career wearing the colors of Real Madrid, a team he arrived six years ago from Tottenham Hotspur.

Leer en español: Adiós a Messi y Ronaldo: Luka Modric llegó para destronarlos

In fact, the soccer player published in his Instagram account a photograph accompanied by a short text, in which he recalled that day that he was presented at the Santiago Bernabéu stadium.

Modric began to reap successes in 2018 with the Champions League title, obtained by Real Madrid against Liverpool, which allowed him to raise the fourth cup with the meringues. For that reason, UEFA decided to award him this award over other figures such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.

That decision was celebrated by his compatriot and rival in the League of Spain, Ivan Rakitic, who plays for Barcelona. Rakitic referred to Modric as his brother and in addition to congratulating him, he was very happy for an achievement that "makes all Croats proud," according to Mundo Deportivo.

The prize raised controversy around Cristiano Ronaldo, now a player of Juventus of Italy. According to RT, the Portuguese did not attend the ceremony because he was "furious" to consider that he was the one who deserved the trophy. The episode was ratified by the representative of the star, Jorge Mendes, who described as "ridiculous" the decision of UEFA to crown Modric and not CR7.

However, Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic defended the election of his countryman, categorically rejecting what Mendes said. In statements collected by Eurosport, the world runner-up said that Modric "deserves to be the best in the world", without neglecting that Portuguese continues to be a great player worldwide.

Hours after receiving the award, Modric learned that his name also appeared on the list of finalists to The Best that annually delivers FIFA. The Croatian is next to Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah, who this time left Lionel Messi out of the short list. Thus, Luka ratifies a great sports year and knows that he has enough credentials to take the award, which in his first two editions was awarded to CR7.

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El Español website analyzes the possibilities of Modric and deduces that he deserves to be here to demonstrate both on and off the courts "humility, maturity and that throughout his career he has fled the controversies", that is to say , simply to play the ball and nothing else.

"Winning the prize for the best in the world would be a way to reclaim the veteran status of a player like the Croatian and reward a player who started playing in Croatia, made the jump to Tottenham and ended up establishing himself at the world level at Real Madrid," said El Español.

Similarly, the page highlights the personality, fitness and constancy of the Croatian to be among the finalists today, adding that winning the prize will be left open to lift the Golden Ball.

According to data revealed by Transfermarkt, since Luka landed at the White House in 2012 he has won 14 titles: 4 Champions League, one Spanish League, one Copa del Rey, 2 Spanish Super Cups, 3 UEFA Super Cups and 3 Club World Cups.

He can win everything

On September 24, the The Best trophy will be awarded, and already the Croatian midfielder has shown that he has enough merit to be the winner, even if that is not shared by his former teammate Cristiano Ronaldo and his representative Jorge Mendes.

Meanwhile, the Golden Ball will be awarded in December by France Football and it is expected that Modric, at least be among the top three. If the results of The Best smile on him, Modric will be the big favorite for that last annual prize.

LatinAmerican Post | Yeinson Fajardo Bohórquez

Translated from "Luka Modric: Un futbolista con posibilidades de ganar el Balón de Oro y The Best"