Modrić breaks Messi-Ronaldo duopoly to win Best Player in Europe Award

In all the discussions of who could end the hegemony of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo at the top of the global game, few would have picked Luka Modrić as the one to break their duopoly. However, little over a month after winning the vote for the coveted Golden Ball as the best player in the FIFA World Cup, the diminutive Croatian picked up UEFA’s award as the Best Player in Europe based on the past season’s Champions League thus becoming the first man to receive both accolades in the same year. With the shortlists for FIFA’s The Best prize to be announced on Monday, Modrić may yet complete an unprecedented hat-trick to justifiably lay claim to the title of the best footballer in the world.

Luka Modrić with the UEFA Men’s Player of the Year Award Picture: Asif Burhan

Modrić received 90 more points than former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo in the vote from 135 Champions League coaches and journalists to become the first midfielder to win the award since Andres Iniesta in 2012. “It’s an incredible moment for me and I feel excited and proud to have won this great award” he said afterwards. “I would like to thank everyone who voted for me to receive the award, my club, Real Madrid, my coaches and my team-mates who support me through the highs and lows. This award belongs to them as well.”

After finishing as runner-up last year, Denmark’s Pernille Harder won the women’s award, finishing 45 points ahead of 2016 winner, Norway’s Ada Hegerberg. Unfortunately for all concerned, none of the three women shortlisted for the prize were able to attend the ceremony in person due to a clash with the latest round of FIFA Women’s World Cup qualification matches. In a recorded message, Harder said “I am extremely proud and honoured to receive this award, as I have always dreamed of playing at the highest level since I was a young kid. I would like to thank in particular my family for their support, as well as my team-mates, coaches and staff from the national team”.

Pernille Harder was voted the UEFA Women’s Player of the Year
Picture: Asif Burhan

Elsewhere, the men’s positional awards were monopolised by the Champions League winners, Real Madrid. Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas was voted best goalkeeper and Sergio Ramos, Modrić and Ronaldo retained their titles as best defender, midfielder and forward respectively.

Neither Ronaldo or Messi were in attendance in Monaco so the presence of the Beckhams sat front and centre alongside UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin in the Grimaldi Forum added some glamour to the occasion. David was bestowed with the President’s Award in honour of his work as a global ambassador for the game. “He uses the power of football to help disadvantaged children all around the world” said Čeferin, “so for me, he was the most obvious choice for this award”.

David and Victoria Beckham at the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco
Picture: Asif Burhan

Afterwards Beckham explained the purpose of his charity work and why he set up his UNICEF fund called 7, “the biggest and best game around the world has the opportunity to change children’s lives. It’s about being there for these kids – there are children in the middle of nowhere watching this game, and they have heroes playing in the Champions League”.

Now for the first time in 5 years they can look up to an award winner not called Messi or Ronaldo.