Modric completes Messi and Ronaldo's monopoly on the Golden Ball Award

Real Madrid and Croatia's Luka Modric won the gold medal for the best footballer in the world in 2018.

For the first time in ten years, non-Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo have won the Golden Ball Trophy. They helped Real Madrid win the Champions League and lead the country to the World Cup final in Russia.

Brazilian Ricardo Kaka was the last player to win the trophy in 2007, but not Messi and Ronaldo.

In an interview with the BBC, Modric awarded the prize to all players who did not have it during the prize check by Ronaldo and Messi.

"Maybe in the past, some players deserved this award, like Xavi, Iniesta and Sneijder, but people are now turning to someone else," Modric said.

Messi and Ronaldo dominated the award, awarded by France Football magazine and voted by journalists since 2008, with an average of five points, a record.

Juventus, winner of last year's prize, was second, while French striker Antoine Grizmann was third.

French striker Gillian Mbabie was fourth and fourth best under 21, while Barcelona's Messi was fifth, while Egyptian striker Mohamed Salah was sixth.