Modric wins 2018 Ballon d’Or

Luka Modric has been crowned the Ballon d’Or 2018 winner.

This development effectively ends Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo’s 10-year domination of the coveted award for the game’s best player.

Monday’s feat caps off a memorable year for Modric, who won his third Champions League in a row at Real Madrid before inspiring Croatia to the World Cup final against all odds.

Last year’s winner Ronaldo finished in second place after claiming his fifth Champions League title, while Antoine Griezmann pipped compatriot Kylian Mbappe into third place following France’s World Cup victory.

Messi came in fifth, making it the first time since 2006 that the five-time winner was not in the top three. Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was the highest-placed Premier League player in sixth.

Before now, Modric had also won the FIFA Best Player Award.