Luka Modric wins Ballon d’Or to end Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi dominance

Croatia and Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric won the 2018 Ballon d'Or, becoming the first player in more than a decade to claim the award other than Lionel Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo.

The 33-year-old Modric won his third consecutive Champions League in May before helping Croatia to a first World Cup final.

Former AC Milan and Brazil forward Kaka, was the last player other than Messi or Ronaldo to win it in 2007.

Ronaldo, who signed for Juventus from Real Madrid in the summer, came second.

Barcelona and Argentina forward Messi finished fifth, with Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann and PSG attacker Kylian Mbappe, both of whom won the World Cup with France in Russia came third and fourth respectively.

Ballon d’Or caps a stellar year for Modric, who also was won the world’s top male player at the Best Fifa Football Awards and received the Golden Ball award for the best player at the 2018 World Cup.

When speaking to BBC Sport, Luka Modric dedicated the award to all of the other players who have missed out in the 10 years dominated by Messi and Ronaldo.

"Maybe in the past there are some players who could have won the Ballon d'Or like Xavi, Andres Iniesta or [Wesley] Sneijder but people finally now are looking at someone else," he said.

"This award is for all the players who probably deserved to win it and didn't. It was a really special year for me.”

"It is difficult to express my emotion and how I feel in words. It is something unique for me. It was very special."

Ronaldo and Messi were described as "phenomenal players", adding: "To win means I did something really special on the pitch this year, that's why 2017-18 was the year for me."

The 23-year-old Norway and Lyon striker Ada Hegerberg clinched the inaugural Women’s Ballon d’Or while Mbappe, 19, became the first winner of the Kopa Trophy - awarded to the best under-21 player of the year and selected by former Ballon d'Or winners.

THE TOP 10

1. Luka Modric (Real Madrid and Croatia)

2. Cristiano Ronaldo (Juventus and Portugal)

3. Antoine Griezmann (Atletico Madrid and France)

4. Kylian Mbappe (Paris St-Germain and France)

5. Lionel Messi (Barcelona and Argentina)

6. Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt)

7. Raphael Varane (Real Madrid and France)

8. Eden Hazard (Chelsea and Belgium)

9. Kevin de Bruyne (Manchester City and Belgium)

10. Harry Kane (Tottenham and England)

How did Premier League players do?

Liverpool and forward Mohamed Salah, who set a record for the most goals in a 38-match English top-flight campaign last season, was the highest-placed Premier League player in sixth.

Chelsea and Belgium forward Eden Hazard was eighth, followed by Manchester City and Belgium team-mate Kevin de Bruyne in ninth.

Tottenham and England striker Harry Kane, who captained his country to the World Cup semi-finals and won the Golden Boot, finished 10th, making him the only Englishman on the shortlist.

Chelsea and France midfielder N'Golo Kante was 11th, with World Cup-winning team-mate and Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba finishing 15th.

Argentina striker Sergio Aguero, a Premier League winner with Manchester City last season, was 16th, while Liverpool's Champions League finalists Roberto Firmino and Sadio Mane were 19th and 22nd respectively.

Alisson, who joined Liverpool from Roma in the summer, was 25th, and Tottenham and France captain Hugo Lloris occupied 29th position.

What is the Ballon d'Or?

The Ballon d'Or award started since 1956 by France Football magazine, with former England international Sir Stanley Matthews the first winner but from 2010 to 2015, was merged with Fifa's World Footballer of the Year award.

Fifa put an end to its association with the award in 2016. 

The editorial staff of the French publication complied the list, with journalists from around the world voted to elect the winner, with one representative per nation.

At Fifa's awards in September, Luka Modric was named the world's best male footballer, while Marta, the Brazil and Orlando Pride forward, won the best female footballer award.

Ronaldo & Messi dominate Ballon d'Or award since 2008

Ballon d'Or winners: Ronaldo & Messi dominate since 2008
2007	Kaka	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi
2008	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi	Fernando Torres
2009	Lionel Messi	Cristiano Ronaldo	Xavi
2010	Lionel Messi	Andres Iniesta	Xavi
2011	Lionel Messi	Cristiano Ronaldo	Xavi
2012	Lionel Messi	Cristiano Ronaldo	Andres Iniesta
2013	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi	Franck Ribery
2014	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi	Manuel Neuer
2015	Lionel Messi	Cristiano Ronaldo	Neymar
2016	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi	Antoine Griezmann
2017	Cristiano Ronaldo	Lionel Messi	Neymar
2018	Luka Modric	Cristiano Ronaldo	Antoine Griezman